After Dark
by MirAndysCrow
Summary: While it barely took two hours for trouble to find Tara when she returns to Bon Temps, it'll take just a little longer for the True Blood crew to realize that the world may be doomed…again. Amnesic vampires, psychotic witches and a love she never expected, make this a homecoming she'll never forget. This story will be femslash!
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** After Dark

**Fandom:** True Blood

**Pairing:** Pam/Tara (Tamela)

**Author:** Mirandyscrow

**Rating:** Pg-13 to NC-17

**Summary: ** While it barely took two hours for trouble to find Tara when she returns to Bon Temps, it'll take just a little longer for the True Blood crew to realize that the world may be doomed…again. Amnesic vampires, psychotic witches and a love she never expected, make this a homecoming she'll never forget. This story will be **femslash**!

**Archive:** Sure if you really want it. Lol, it would be a surprise to me, just ask my permission first. (It's nice when people ask)

**Disclaimer:** True Blood belongs to Alan Ball and HBO. Any and all other brand names belong to their respective owners. This is a piece of fiction from my own crazy imagination and I do not make any profit on it.

**Warnings:** If you can watch True Blood with out being on the offensive then it's safe to read my fic.

**Spoilers:** All of Season 4.

**Author's Note:** First off, since no one really reads these things I'd just like to say I am not a human. I am a meat popsicle with extra gravy. Also, I really want to say that I'm going to be playing fast and loose with the plot and timeline of this season. There's dialogue borrowed heavily from the show with a few tweaks here and there before we slip, trip, and fall straight into Alternate Universe land shortly after what can be recognized as Season 4, episode 4 "I'm Alive and On Fire."

**Author's Note Part Two:** I am not fluent in any other languages besides English and Bad!English so please keep that in mind when reading my fic. I'm certainly willing to take helpful hints into consideration when translating verb tenses and what not but usually it will be me and Google bumbling through a simple translation.

**Beta:** Mad props to my beta and beautiful wife **faithlessfate** for whipping this story into shape and making it worth reading. Any and all careless mistakes I claim as my own.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Life's a Bitch…**

Eminem once said "...you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed." Tara Thornton found this quote to be very, very true in terms of her life. Everything that seemed like a constant was always suddenly being picked up and tossed around carelessly in chaos. Ever since she was a little girl she found out the hard way that life was a bitch. It was uncertain and difficult and you needed to learn to roll with the punches. Metaphorically and literally.

Tara scowled at that last thought, absentmindedly running her fingers across a jagged scar at her left elbow. It had gotten there courtesy of her mother one night in a fit of drunken rage. Unfortunately, Tara didn't dodge quickly enough when the broken liquor bottle came at her. After running to Sookie's house that night and climbing the big tree next to the younger girl's bedroom, she swore the other girl to secrecy while they clumsily tried to clean the wound. Tara stayed the night and the next morning, Gran refreshed the bandage soaked with blood without hesitation or question, just sadness and love in her eyes. Sookie held Tara's hand the entire time before they got to eat ice cream and watch Disney movies until Tara was dragged back home by a semi-sober and 'caring' Lettie Mae.

Sookie...

The young woman turned her attention to the cell phone clenched tightly in her right hand. The eight simple words of Lafayette's text were still staring up at her, appearing bold and ominous on the small screen. The characters sent the high she was floating along on with Naomi in a sharp spiral downward as they stared accusingly at her while she pondered her next move.

Tara leaned heavily against the cool tile of the shower wall and placed her phone on the windowsill. Slipping a cigarette from her pack and lighting it with practiced ease, she inhaled deeply. She held the smoke in her lungs until it burned before blowing the bitter smoke out the small, opened window. She felt the instant calming effect of the nicotine enter her lungs and all but sagged in relief. Locking herself in the bathroom was the only solace she had right now. Maybe if she hadn't have lied to Naomi from the start she'd have someone to help her with this inner struggle. On the one hand, she had this great life with Naomi in New Orleans and it seemed like it had the potential to go the distance. To have a nice normal life. As much as an interracial lesbian couple of cage fighters can have a 'nice, normal life.'

She remembered the words of Bob Marley as she considered the circumstances that brought her here, "Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" A year and a half ago, Tara's answer was a quick and resounding 'hell no.' Her wounds from Franklin were still fresh and everything had dumped a large steaming pile of shit on her head yet again so as soon as she got word that Sookie was missing and presumed dead she decided that it was time for a change and never looked back.

When she finished her cigarette, Tara allowed herself to sink to the bottom of the bathtub and draw her knees up to her chest. She turned on the shuffle setting on her phone's media player and rested her head on her knees. The headphones blaring in her ears drowned out the sound of traffic and general noise pollution happening just outside the small window in the wall above her head. The thumping bass of the electronica song let Tara float away for the moment while she got her thoughts organized.

All she wanted to do was just curl up and just forget the world for the day. Toni did. Tara amended mentally. Toni wanted to fold after so long of not having any large confrontations after a year and a half. Tara wanted to trip over herself in haste to get back to Bon Temps. So here she sat while they duked it out in her brain. She was certainly torn between the two extremes. If Sookie had come back a year ago there would be no hesitation, hell even six months ago she would have been more inclined to come back but now...

Now she'd made a life for herself and Sookie's return was entirely too inconvenient. Her curiosity to see her friends and Lafayette was becoming far too large to ignore but was it enough to drop everything to make the five hour drive? Tara yanked her headphones from her ears and fisted her hair in frustration, realizing too late that she'd already made her decision. Like a moth to a flame, Tara couldn't help the seductive call of the misery and pain that was sure to find her again in Bon Temps.

"Baby?" Naomi called through the door after a few light knocks. "Are you okay? You've been in there awhile."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Tara lied as she chuckled derisively. She let the small stab of shame pierce her heart as she stood, knowing that before the night was over she'd be telling many more to make the trip tomorrow morning. "You know babe I think I just might go back to Atlanta for my Grandma's funeral." She called out as she flushed the damning cigarette butt down the toilet and sprayed air freshener in small space.

"I think that's a good idea. You need some closure," Naomi said, stepping back so Tara could enter the bedroom.

Tara allowed a sad smile to cross her face. "That's just what I was thinking," she said coming further into the room. The sun had long since set and Tara noted that Naomi had turned on the small lamp on the bedside table. She slumped onto the bed, flipping her phone idly in her hands, wondering briefly if she should contact anyone.

"I made some BLTs. You hungry?" Naomi asked Tara, nudging her shoulder roughly but affectionately.

Tara shook her head. "Naw, I'm just going to go ahead to bed. I got to leave early in the morning so I can try and make the viewing of the body if I decide at the last minute that I don't want to go to the funeral."

"I'll wake you up with breakfast then," Naomi said, squeezing Tara's hand before standing.

"Baby, you don't have to do that," Tara started but was cut off.

"I want to, Toni." Naomi insisted, kissing her soundly. If she felt Tara stiffen in response she made no mention of it. "I'm going to eat then come back and hold you while you sleep."

"I'd like that," Tara said tiredly with a yawn.

"I know you will," Naomi said cheekily as she left the room. "I'm also not going to kick your ass about that cigarette just this once," she said over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her.

"As if you could!" Tara yelled through the door, punching her pillow down and crawling underneath the blanket.

"I let you win!" Naomi shouted back.

Tara folded her left arm underneath her pillow as she stared at the ceiling, her eyes tracking the odd swirl pattern in the paint as her eyelids became increasingly heavy. The next thing Tara felt was a gentle prodding of her side.

"Toni…Toni."

"Huh? What?" Tara grumbled, peering up at Naomi with bleary eyes.

"Your alarm is going off," Naomi stated plainly as she got up from the bed.

"Didn't set a damn alarm," Tara said, rolling over and placing a pillow over her head.

"I know Mary Sunshine," Naomi said with a chuckle. "I set one for you."

"You went through my phone?" Tara asked, sitting up now that she was suddenly very much awake.

"Uh, no. I just set an alarm," Naomi said slowly, looking at Tara strangely.

"Oh." Was all Tara could manage as she proceeded to rub the remaining sleep from her eyes.

"You want to tell me what the hell that was about?" Naomi stood with her hands perched on her hips. "You hiding something from me? Don't want me to see the messages from your other girlfriends?"

"Other girlfriends?" Tara echoed with a laugh as she started gathering her clothes for the day. "Please, we spend nearly every waking moment together. When am I gonna find the time to fuck around on you and why would I?"

"Then why can't I ever use your phone without you around, Toni?" Naomi asked with an eyebrow raised. "Don't think I haven't notice you closing every app and message before handing it to me. You get fidgety when I ask to borrow it to play a fucking game," she said throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"I like my privacy," Tara said simply and closed the door to the bathroom.

"That excuse won't work forever you know. This mysterious woman shit can only get you so far," Naomi called through the door. "Sooner or later you're going to have to explain yourself."

"I know," Tara said softly to herself as she switched on the water for the shower and started to undress.

**-x-**

Stepping from the shower, Tara grabbed the large fluffy towel hanging from one of the clear plastic rings attached to the wall. She sighed in the comfort as the towel encased her in a warm embrace, slowly stealing the water away from her form. As she finished drying her body and putting on clothes, Tara thought about the drive ahead. What would be waiting for her when she arrived in Bon Temps? Well, besides the easy going people and good food there would definitely be vampires.

She would most definitely be bringing her handgun equipped with all new wooden bullets. She'd never had to use it so far but always made sure to practice when she had the time so she was a hell of a shot.

Tara walked out of the bathroom, happy to see that Naomi had already pulled out Tara's old bag. It was the plain standard issue duffle bag for the police and would house more than enough clothes and personal items for Tara's short stay in Bon Temps. It was worn with age and Tara had to patch several bullet holes before it was even usable. She found the bag on side of the road in a town even smaller than Bon Temps called Mangham.

She shot a quick glance over her shoulder to ensure the coast was clear while she removed her Smith and Wesson 60-9 .357 Magnum from a loose floorboard under a steamer trunk that had also seen better days. Slipping her weapon underneath a couple of t-shirts she zipped up the bag while making her way downstairs.

Tara stopped short upon seeing the small plate of breakfast warily as Naomi came down the hall, holding out the car keys.

"I went around the corner and filled up the tank for you," Naomi said, leaning forward to kiss Tara softly.

"That's not for me is it?" Tara nodded to the food on the table.

"Toni…" Naomi started with a sigh, pulling away from her girlfriend.

"I'm not hungry," Tara said at once. The nervous energy in her stomach made the food look extremely unappetizing.

"You need to eat something. You haven't eaten since last afternoon and if I left you to it you probably won't for the next five hours."

"I'll get something on the road." Tara shrugged, holding the straps of her bag tightly in her right hand.

Naomi held up her hand. "Look, I don't want to fight right before you leave, just promise me you'll eat something when you stop for gas."

"I promise," Tara said, kissing Naomi softly. "I gotta get going."

"Be safe," Naomi called out, coming to watch Tara from the balcony of their apartment. "Call me as soon as you get there."

**-x-**

Reuniting with Sookie shrieking in fright was not what Tara envisioned when she pulled up behind the Stackhouse abode but she quickly got over it once she realized that Sookie was indeed alive and fine.

"Sook! I'm so sorry," Tara said regretfully, embracing her best friend tightly.

"It's not your fault," Sookie reassured her, rubbing her back as she returned the hug just as tightly. "I guess I'm not so good at being snuck upon. How did you-?"

"Lafayette," Tara explained before Sookie finished her question. "He texted me and said you were home. I parked out back 'cause I wanted to surprise you."

"You did," Sookie said with a delighted chuckle, her fear now forgotten.

"I guess I did, huh?" Tara agreed and took a good look at Sookie with tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She thought she'd never see that silly and endearing gap-toothed smile again. "I thought you were dead," she said softly.

"Everybody did," Sookie said just as softly. "Where have you been?" she asked quickly, hoping to skate past the somber mood now hovering at the edge of their conversation.

"Nawlins," Tara said simply offering no other explanation. "Where have _you_ been?" she countered with the quirk of her eyebrow.

"On a business trip for Bill," Sookie said after a moment's hesitation. "We're not back together or anything." She was quick to add unnecessarily.

"I ain't judging," Tara said, shaking her head.

"You look amazing!" Sookie exclaimed, glancing up and down at Tara. "New Orleans has been good for you, huh?"

"It has," Tara said beaming, through the stubborn tears tickling her eyelashes.

"Come on inside and tell me all about it?" Sookie suggested, already walking around her yellow hatchback to gather her dropped groceries. Tara kneeled beside her and grabbed a few errant items that had rolled just under the car's bumper. They made their way to the new screen door seeing a red bow with a note attached beside it that read simply: 'Out with the old…'

"What the hell?" Sookie asked to no one in particular as she snatched the note from the door.

"Let me see that," Tara said, accepting the note as they continued into the kitchen. She nodded her head impressed at the heavy cardstock and beautifully executed calligraphy adorning the card.

"No," Sookie proclaimed haughtily as plucked the note up and tossed it back to the table as if its very presence offended her and set the groceries down on the table none too gently.

Tara leaned against the doorframe with an amused smile as she watched her friend's sudden attitude at the brand new microwave sitting on the kitchen table. "That thing you said about you and Bill not being together, you sure he knows that?" she asked.

"It's from Eric," Sookie stated exasperatedly.

"Ah, Sookie tell me you ain't seeing him now?" Tara asked in disbelief.

"No, the son of a bitch bought my house that's all," Sookie said casually, waving her hand around at the several hundred thousands of dollars in renovations surrounding her. "Besides if I was, what'd you just say about no judging?" she said before turning to the refrigerator with a jug of milk in hand.

"He bought your house?" Tara asked, eyes wide. She wanted to launch into why accepting expensive gifts from vampires wasn't a good idea but decided that her first fifteen minutes in Bon Temps shouldn't be arguing with her best friend.

"Bastard," Sookie exclaimed, pulling something from the refrigerator and slamming the door shut. It was an elegant glass bottle of thick red liquid that could only be blood inside. The fairy sighed as she began to pour the blood down the sink. "I feel terrible, Tara. This can't be the homecoming you were expecting." She turned on the faucet and let the water rinse the residual blood down the drain.

"It's Bon Temps, Sook. Ain't like I expected the red fucking carpet," Tara said with a shake of her head and an indulgent grin. "Seeing you safe and sound was enough. And besides there's ice cream," she said lightly, plucking the small container of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from the top of grocery bag.

Sookie smiled as she placed the glass container on the counter. "And by now it ought to be good and melty too. I'll go get blankets and meet you in the living room," she said, walking into the next room.

Tara looked at the glass that used to hold blood with disgust. "I don't see how those dead motherfuckers can drink this shit," she mumbled to herself and tossed the container in the trashcan before starting the search for spoons.

"Motherfucker!" Sookie exclaimed from the living room.

Tara grabbed the nearest spoon and hurried toward the sound of her friend's voice. "What!? What is it, now?" she asked.

"He built himself a cubby." Sookie explained with barely contained anger. "He built himself a cubby. In. My. House."

Tara sighed internally, knowing where this was probably going. "Do you need to go?" she asked.

"Sookie nodded tersely and stormed right past Tara and into the kitchen, snatching up her purse and car keys before leaving Tara behind.

As Tara watched Sookie peel out of the driveway she grumbled, "Welcome back, bitch," to herself with a sigh and proceeded to place the ice cream in the freezer. She paused briefly and decided to put away the rest of the groceries. Just as she put the last of the produce away, she glanced the time on her cell phone and decided she may as well try and catch Lafayette at his house.

**-x-**

Tara maneuvered her Mercedes up to Lafayette's house just as the sun had completely sunk behind the horizon. As soon as she was close enough to spot, she immediately heard Lafayette exclaim his delight and Tara realized she missed him even more than she previously thought. "Surprise!" she said, shutting off the car with a wide grin. "I got your text so I came to see Sookie, but she had to bail," she explained. She'd barely gotten the car door closed before she was lifted up by her cousin in a big bear hug. She giggled with delight as Lafayette twirled her around before setting her back down on her feet.

"Hey Jesus," Tara greeted the other man. She stepped forward and received a much more subdued hug but the embrace was not less warm.

"Tara, how have you been?" Jesus asked, breaking the hug.

"I've been good," Tara replied with a wider grin as she slipped her hands in her back pockets.

"You look good," Jesus agreed with a nod of his head.

"That's the calming influence of that Asian pussy at work," Lafayette interjected, spreading his arms in a mock Lotus position.

"Fuck you," Tara responded and made a show of checking her bare wrist. "Look at that. You couldn't even make it a whole sixty seconds before saying something crazy, bitch."

"Now, hookah, you know I'm right," Lafayette said matter of factly, as he pointed a finger in her direction. "Besides, you know I'm gon' be me, no matter how long you been away."

"Come on, we're late. We've got to go," Jesus said, grabbing Lafayette's hand and interrupting whatever Tara was about to say next.

"I just got here," Tara stated with surprise as she glanced back and forth between the two men. "Where ya'll going?"

"We got a thing," Lafayette said evasively, looking at his boyfriend. Jesus looked right back with encouragement but offered no additional information.

"A 'thing'?" Tara repeated, looking at them imploringly with a small grin. "Like a gay 'thing'?"

Lafayette turned back to Tara with a sigh. "A Wiccan thing," He said haltingly.

"Seriously?" Tara asked unimpressed. "Lala, you're Wiccan now?"

"Hookah, you gon' come or what?" Lafayette asked, beginning to walk to Jesus' truck. He knew that standing there debating was going to make them later than they already were.

"I guess so," Tara said with a shrug, following them to the Jesus' truck.

**-x-**

"So what's this place called?" Tara asked after Jesus put the car into gear and pulled away from their house.

"It's called the Moon Goddess Emporium over in Shreveport," Jesus answered with a quick glance in the rear view mirror.

"How'd you even get mixed up with this shit, Lala?" Tara asked after a beat. "I thought you were sworn off this supernatural shit after all that shit went down with Eric and Sookie."

"I wasn't at first but my man wanted some support so I decided to tag along," Lafayette said with a smile, caressing Jesus' arm as he drove. "Besides, it's the real shit."

"Right," Tara extended the word to emphasize her skepticism. "Miss Jeanette was also the 'real shit' and we all know how that turned out."

"Tara, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with magic practioners but I assure you Marnie is not like the Miss Cleos of Bon Temps. She's a real witch," Jesus said animatedly as he glanced at the woman in the back seat once more. "We brought a dead bird back to life."

"That sounds like some deep dark hoodoo, voodoo shit," Tara said willing her eyebrows to return to their perch just above her eyes. "Look, I ain't participating but I'll stay and make sure you bitches don't end up reenacting a thriller video with yo bad selves," she said and sat back just as they approached the building.

Jesus continued to drive down the street and proceeded to park in a small strip mall three blocks away. "Sometimes we get hassled by rednecks when coming out of the Emporium after meetings. I just don't want my car vandalized," he answered Tara's unanswered question as they all got out of the car.

"Again," Lafayette added unnecessarily.

"Yes, again," Jesus agreed, taking Lafayette's hand and walking toward the magic store.

The outside looked like every other little magic shop she'd seen up and down the French Quarter in New Orleans but she knew it was not wise to judge a book by its cover. They quickly made their way inside and Tara found herself a little impressed that it was much bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside.

"Lafayette, Jesus!" Holly called out as soon as she saw the two men. "We were beginning to think you were scared off."

"Nope, just had a little family reunion," Lafayette said motioning to Tara who was standing behind them.

"Tara," Holly greeted the young woman with a smile. "When did you get in?" she asked politely.

"Hey, Holly," Tara replied warmly. "Bout an hour ago." She added lightly.

"Have you come to join our circle?" Holly asked with a touch of excitement. "I can sense that you've got a very strong magical presence."

"Ah, no thank you. Me and my presence will be sitting over there while y'all do y'all's thing," Tara said, grabbing a small stack of magazines from a short coffee table on her way there. She reclined on an ugly green chair on the outside of the witches' circle while the meeting got underway. She had no interest in being introduced to everyone and hid her face behind a copy of _Good Housekeeping_, hoping to block out the conversation that was going on in front of her as if just hearing the meeting would suddenly turn her into a full-fledged Wiccan.

"Blessed Be, everyone," Holly said, standing in the middle of the circle with a genuine smile on her face as she spread her arms in a grand gesture. "What we accomplished last night was remarkable and Marnie appreciates each and every one of us for being apart of it."

"If Marnie is so appreciative, how come Marnie don't talk?" Tara whispered to her cousin, already having had enough of the ego stroking, lip service bullshit.

"Quiet bitch. You a guest," Lafayette hissed dismissively as he turned back to Holly.

Tara sucked her teeth petulantly and propelled herself back into the chair. "Shit's boring anyway," She muttered under her breath but knowing Lafayette heard it.

"Shh!" he hissed in response.

"Alright, well enough of the back slapping. What are we gonna bring back next?" Katerina asked eagerly.

Marnie finally looked up with a blank yet haunting look on her face as she said, "A person."

"Excuse me?" Jesus asked as his eyebrows threatened to go marching past his hairline. He was certain he misheard her.

"A person," Marnie repeated more clearly.

Tara's head snapped up from her magazine as a deep shiver went down her spine with no remorse.

"I'm sorry. What the fuck?" Jesus asked, his eyes bulging out of their sockets slightly.

"We're going to raise a person from the dead," Marnie clarified, looking across the circle at everyone awaiting their reactions.

"This is where you lose me," Lafayette said, scooting back from the circle just a couple of inches. He prepared to stand but was halted by Jesus' hand on his knee.

"Holy shit, Marnie," Holly blurted out with wide eyes from the circle leader's left.

"Well why not a pigeon or…" Katerina asked and trailed off, looking at her companions.

"Are you serious?" Casey asked.

"I'm game," Roy said, clapping his hands together in maniacal glee. "How do we get started?"

"Yeah," Tara drawled slowly, placing the magazines on the floor quickly. "I'll be waiting out front." She stood and made her exit.

"I hear you bitch," Lafayette said to her over his shoulder.

Tara walked out of the Moon Goddess Emporium and pulled her jacket closed, hoping to keep the persistent chill clinging to her away. She searched for the half empty pack of Marlboros and retrieved one with surprising shaking fingers. Leaning against the brick wall near the alley of the building, she lit the cigarette and took a long drag. "Fucking witches," she laughed bitterly, exhaling smoke.

Her cell phone buzzed from a previous missed message and she read it with a smile. Pressing number one on her speed dial, she waited as the phone rang only once before Naomi picked up.

"Hey baby," Naomi said softly.

Tara smiled at her girlfriend's greeting. "Everyone here is completely insane," she said without preamble.

"Well, you already knew that," Naomi replied with a chuckle. "The trick is not to let them drive you crazy."

"Any ideas on how I should go about doing that?" Tara asked, flicking some of the ash from the tip of her cigarette.

"If I knew I'd probably wouldn't let my mother guilt me into dating a guy once a month," Naomi said with regret. "Just say goodbye to your grandmother and come on home, okay? I miss you."

"I miss you too baby," Tara said sadly, her heart tightened with a large sense of regret and guilt as she ended the call. She placed the phone back in her pocket just as she felt a sudden chill in the air almost as if there was a cool breeze in the eerily still night. Her eyes scanned the area but she didn't see anything out of the ordinary as she shrugged her shoulders and proceeded to finish her cigarette.

**-x-**

"The fuck now?" Tara asked no one in particular as she observed the situation in front of her. Everyone was now out of a circle formation and standing behind Marnie looking various degrees of frightened at the tall, blond vampire standing before them. The thing that distressed her the most was Lafayette who looked like he was trying his damndest to blend in with the floor. Tara surmised that this vampire had to be the infamous Eric and it would be her honor to end him. She cursed internally wishing she took her own car so that she could at least have her pistol at her disposal.

Marnie looked back and forth between the vampire and her circle. "Join hands," she said quietly, defiantly.

In an instant, she was in Eric's arms, her head cocked to the left exposing her neck to the angry vampire. "Why didn't you just take the deal?" he hissed before plunging his fangs into her jugular, drinking deep.

Marnie let out a terrified and pained scream while the coven watched on frozen in fear.

"Goddamn, I hate this place," Tara said, shaking her head angrily as she spotted a sharpened cross in a cornucopia. She inched toward it and awaited her chance to strike.

Holly shook herself out of her paralyzed state and stepped forward. "Elements of the night. Elements of the dead. We call upon ye. We summon ye." Her voice was strong and resolute as she stood in front of Eric with her hands held out on either side of her. That small push was all the coven needed to attempt to save their leader. Everyone joined Holly in her chant except Lafayette who refused to join the circle, fearing the wrath of Eric.

Tara grabbed her weapon and charged forward, aiming for Eric's heart. She didn't get far as the vampire suddenly tossed Marnie to the floor and grabbed Tara.

Eric dipped her as if they were lovers in an intimate dance. "What have we here?" he asked with intrigue as he grinned at her unkindly. He bared his bloodstained fangs and leaned forward but he never finished his descent as the air began to crackle with power and the lights went out.

A gust of wind traveled through the building, bringing on it the smell of ash and anger. Marnie rose like a puppet being pulled on a string by an unseen master and faced Eric once more.

The vampire dropped Tara and turned toward the priestess as she began chanting in Latin. The malice in his face drained away leaving a blank slate of emotion as his fangs disappeared with a muted click just a moment before he blurred out of sight.

The atmosphere went back to normal as Marnie looked around the room confused. "Well, what happened? Is he gone?"

Tara looked up at the woman in disbelief. "I fucking hate this place," she said and stood up from the floor.

"I'm feeling a little lightheaded," Marnie proclaimed and stumbled. The coven didn't even hesitate to assist her.

"I'll go get my medical kit from the car," Jesus announced to the room, heading for the door quickly. "Holly, grab a towel, keep pressure on the wound and have her lie down."

Lafayette ran for the small alcove away from the rest of the coven and paced nervously back and forth.

"So thanks for bringing me tonight," Tara said with false cheer as she came over to him. She clapped a firm hand on his shoulder, grinning internally as he winced slightly. "It's been awhile since I've been attacked by a vampire and guess what? It still sucks and it still freaks my shit out."

"Climb down off that cross for two seconds. You don't think it freaks my shit out?" Lafayette retorted crossing his arms over his chest.

"Two hours, Lafayette," Tara whispered fiercely at her cousin. "Two hours I'm back in town and some fucking fanger is on my neck."

"It's not just any fanger!" Lafayette yelled, his nerves getting the better of him. He knew now that all eyes were on him but he couldn't find himself giving two shits. "This is Eric fucking Northman. Who's fucking ancient, stupid powerful, and can kill all of us and now he probably will."

"Somebody ought to call the police," Holly suggested at once, standing up abruptly.

"Aw, you think the hillbilly police around here gonna do anything?" Lafayette, turned his attention to her with a roll of his neck. "You think they _can_ do anything?" he clarified.

"We can't just do nothing and let him get away with this," Holly responded.

"Eric Northman is a 1000 years old. The police can't touch him," Lafayette stated slowly as if he was talking someone particularly hard of hearing.

"He tried to kill Marnie," Holly insisted just as slowly and deliberately.

"Well, Marnie needs to thank God, Goddess, Gaia, and Mother fucking Goose that he didn't," Lafayette said, refusing to back down. "The best thing we can do is forget this ever happened."

"It _did_ happen!" Marnie exclaimed sitting up. "He attacked us unprovoked. He marched in here uninvited and he demanded that we stop gathering, stop practicing our religion

"Last time I checked it was still freedom of religion in America," Roy said adamantly.

"What does he think this is Nazi Germany?" Katerina asked.

"He did look kind of Aryan," Casey said a matter of factly, valiantly ignoring the confused stares that were suddenly shot her way.

"He has no right. He has no _right_!" Marnie stated emphatically.

"He's a vampire," Tara said as if it made all the sense in the world as she stepped forward. "They don't care about rights, religion, the law or anybody else. They just want our blood," she concluded to the now silent room.

Jesus broke the solace by asking the question that had been burning his lips every since Eric left. "Marnie, what'd you do to make him leave and how did you do it?"

"I have no idea," Marnie responded, shaking her head slowly. "I just opened my mouth and the words came," she said, standing unsteadily. When Jesus rushed to prevent her from falling, she waved him off. "I'm okay. I'm okay." she said, walking slowly to her shelf of spell books. She held out her hands, leaving them hovering above the spines of the books.

"What the fuck is she doing?" Tara asked, watching Marnie closely. The previous chill she'd gotten initially in the Priestess' presence came back with a vengeance.

"She's looking for the right spell she needs by tracking the signature." Jesus explained as he finished packing his medical kit. "The correct spell will give off heat."

"What are we going to do now?" Katerina asked softly, asking the question that everyone else was thinking.

"What do you mean?" Tara asked with a nearly hysterical and derisive chuckle. "I know what _I'm_ going to do and that's get the fuck out of here and never have my displeasure of seeing any of you people again."

A small pained hiss from Marnie got their attention as she slipped a book from the shelf. "Everyone back to the circle," she said her voice hollow and resonant. "We're going to wake the dead," she said with a sinister smile.

"Marnie, maybe we should give it a rest tonight," Holly suggested gently. "You're injured and upset. That won't bode well for any casting."

Tara caught the sight of the leather-bound book in Marnie's hand and the breath caught in her throat. She could almost swear the Baphomet seemed to snarl at her from the cover as its serpent tail slithered back and forth in a sickening display that sent burning nausea erupting in her stomach. "The Necronomicon?" she said breathlessly to herself. "Motherfuck that," She continued more audibly. "After the shit that just went down. I'm not staying so you can go fucking with the elements and shit again. I've officially had my fill of this fucking magic to last a lifetime," she said, looking at Marnie.

"Lafayette, Jesus. Y'all coming?" Tara asked and practically sprinting for the door. Before she could pass the threshold, the green double doors slammed in her face. The lights became low as a strong nearly tangible wind swirled around her becoming tighter and forcing her arms at her side.

The cage fighter felt her body being constricted and she panicked lashing out at an unseen assailant. It provided no reprieve as she was suddenly swept off her feet and slid rapidly across the floor to the direct center of the magic circle. She lay held down spread eagle as candles came flying from all directions and made a pentagram around her body. As soon as they were in position the candles flames flared to life their flames reaching a foot tall.

Everyone's quickly gaze fell on a still smirking Marnie. "You can't leave, Tara. You're the most important part of the spell," She said, walking calmly forward.

Lafayette stood in her path using his full height to his advantage. "Holds up, hookah. You best let my cousin go before I-"

"Before you what Lafayette?" she said, lifting a hand in his direction. She watched as Lafayette immediately fell to his knees clutching at his throat desperately. "Everyone join hands now or his blood will be on your hands and you'll join him." She said releasing Lafayette from the spell.

He greedily sucked in oxygen, glaring at Marnie as he croaked, "Psycho bitch."

Marnie merely sneered as she waited for the coven to move into position. She stepped forward, pulling an athame seemingly from nowhere and handed it to Lafayette. "You'll do the honors."

Lafayette didn't spare the knife a second glance. "If you think I'm going to kill my cousin in cold blood you might as well gut me right here, bitch."

"Lafayette!" Tara grunted from the floor.

"No, Lafayette!" Jesus said, pulling his boyfriend away from the priestess.

Lafayette snatched his arm out of Jesus' grip. "I'm not going to murder my cousin. I don't care if we summoning Jesus Christ and Mother fucking Teresa."

"It won't kill her," Marnie drawled lightly, twirling the athame in her hands with practiced ease.

"Don't believe her, Lala!" Tara shouted from the floor.

"Silence!" Marnie commanded, waving her hand at Tara, satisfied when the young woman fell blissfully silent. "We only need a little bit of blood for the spell. It can be given freely or taken by force," she said.

Lafayette gazed into Marnie's dark eyes, looking for any indication that she was spouting bullshit. He was completely unsurprised to find that this was most definitely the case but refused to show his revelation on his face. "I'm sorry, Tara." He stepped forward accepting the blade from the priestess. "What do I need to do?"

"Cut both of her hands enough to fill this bowl." Marnie said, levitating a small clay bowl in front of them. She slammed the Necronomicon to the floor and the pages turned of their own accord. "You will need to draw these sigils on every inch of skin showing over her clothes. They need to be exact." She emphasized sternly and turned her attention the rest of the coven. "When you're finished go back to the circle and join Jesus' hand and repeat after me."

Lafayette kneeled beside Tara with an apology screaming from his every move. "Blink if you can hear me," he whispered and was relieved when Tara immediately blinked. "I'm not gonna to let you die, but we gotta play along for just a minute." He made quick work of slicing her hands, knowing that slow cuts would only hurt worse no matter how gentle.

Once the clay bowl was filled with Tara's blood, Lafayette glanced at the Necronomicon, copying the sigils from the page in front of him. He felt Marnie's eyes watching him and the more he tries to stall the spell, he struggled more and more to breath through a tightening throat he knows has nothing to do with nervousness.

"Alright, bitch. I'm finished." Lafayette's exclaimed, standing abruptly as his hand finished the last sigil.

"Let's begin," Marnie announced, nodding her head to Lafayette to get into formation. She took a deep breath as the Necronomicon appeared in front of her floating in midair and began to chant quickly in Sumarian and then again in English. "He of ash and blood, hidden away for time out of sight, to be reborn, ascending forth from the altar of blood. The anointed one shall be marked thusly, and made ready to free the prince and master of all."

The candles flared again, flames practically licking the ceiling. As the chanting rose in volume, dark purple tendrils with the consistency of water swirled around Tara, entering her mouth and nose. She convulsed violently as she experienced what felt like she was being zapped with ten thousand volts of electricity. Foamy drool ran freely from her mouth as it opened in a silent cry. The air became stifling and thick as the sigils on her body glowed brightly and absorbed into her skin one by one until only one was left.

Marnie's voice was still switching back and forth between Sumarian and English as it reached its crescendo as she waited for the very last sigil on Tara's forehead to be absorbed. She glanced at the symbol in confusion until her brain supplied the correct knowledge and her eyes widened in horror. "No!" she shrieked and rushed forward, breaking the circle but it was too late, the symbol glowed brightly, blinding everyone temporarily.

When the atmosphere returned to normal, everyone watched as Marnie's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fainted dead away. Jesus and Lafayette immediately broke the circle and stepped over her prone form and rushed to the center of the candle pentagram toward the latter's cousin.

"Tara! Tara, are you okay?" Lafayette shook her roughly and slapped her cheek to rouse her.

"Fuck, bitch! Stop hitting me. I'm alright," Tara said, lifting herself up before hissing in pain and promptly allowing herself to fall back on her ass. "Fuck," She said, looking at her hands. The cuts were red, puffy and irritated. She gritted her teeth and tried again, gingerly standing with Lafayette's assistance. The cage fighter crossed the room vibrating with rage. As soon as she made it to Marnie's form, she kicked the woman with all her might, smiling when her boot mark immediately became embedded on the woman's face.

"Whoa, what the fuck!" Roy said, moving forward only to be stopped by Lafayette's less than gentle hand to his chest.

Jesus rushed to Tara's side a second later, pulling her away from Marnie. "She's out cold and this violence won't solve anything."

"I know," Tara said, rolling her shoulder out of Jesus' grip. "But I hope that bitch feels it when she wakes up. Let's get the hell out of here," she said, stomping out of the door with dark drops of blood staining the floor in her exit.

"You should probably let me look at your wounds!" Jesus called after her.

"I'm not going to stuck in this hell hole for one more minute," Tara said not pausing in her stride.

"Tara, wait!" Lafayette called out.

"Tara!" Jesus shouted, running quickly after them.

"No!" Tara yelled back, trying to make her way back to the car. Her anger was quickly dissipating, leaving room for the dizziness from blood loss to sink in. She cursed when she remembered they parked another two blocks up the road and she was walking alone in the dark with bleeding wounds in the vampire infested streets of Shreveport. Her vision suddenly swam as she stumbled slightly unable to catch herself as she prepared for the pain of cracking her head on the concrete. She faintly heard Lafayette and Jesus call out her name again but it was if they were now screaming through a tunnel filled with water.

Just before Tara's head met the ground below she briefly wondered if the men would be able to reach her before a passing vampire made her a meal. A pair of cool arms encircled her waist and her mere inches from the ground.

"You nearly bled all over my dress." A breezy voice drawled teasingly from above Tara. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Tara squinted her eyes willing them to refocus. The blurry yet attractive blond figure was leering down at her with distended fangs. "Ugh…fanger." She slurred slowly in blatant revulsion. "Fuck you."

Pam smirked. "You're feisty. I like that. Any other time I'd take you up on your offer and show you some manners while I'm at it; but unfortunately for you, I have other business to attend to." She said and placed Tara on the ground abruptly, speeding off into the night.

"Who the fuck?" Tara asked, a little disoriented, to the next couple of figures that appeared in her eyesight.

"That was Pam, Eric's progeny. Bitch is crazy," Lafayette said, picking Tara up and carrying her to the car. He laid her gently in the backseat. "We need to get you well, hookah. I might have one more vial of vamp's blood somewhere that I can get you for your wounds."

"Hell no. I'm not taking that shit," Tara said with a shake of her head. "Just patch me up, feed me, and get me drunk and I'll be good as new."

**-x-**

Jesus bandaged Tara's hand. "Since you're determined to heal the normal way you'll have to be careful. You can't work too vigorously with your hands or you'll tear the skin worse."

"Uh huh," Tara said as she flexed her hands tentatively. Her stomach growled at the delicious smells traveling from the kitchen that Lafayette was cooking.

"Yeah, that means no fucking your little girlfriend between her chopsticks or indulging any of Pam's whims anytime soon." Lafayette said, waving his spatula flippantly.

Tara's head snapped up from inspecting her bandages. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I know you saw it," Lafayette said, turning with a raised eyebrow. "That crazy bitch has taken an interest in you and let me tell you she's just as persistent as her maker if not more when it comes to a pretty face."

"If she comes near me again, I got something I'm prepared to let her suck," Tara said as she thought about the revolver in her duffel bag with the wooden bullets.

"Despite the way Lafayette said it, I'm serious about being careful, Tara. You don't want to do anything that will lengthen your recovery time or it can become infected." Jesus said deliberately as if he was talking to a child.

Lafayette opened the oven to check on the warming tortillas. "Don't bother wasting your breath, baby. She's always been a horrible patient."

Tara flipped of her cousin with a sneer. "Shut up and cook bitch."

"Once again, Lala is right," Lafayette said, wiggling his hips as he flipped the fajita vegetables in the pan twice before placing it back on the burner.

"Whatever," Tara said with a roll of her eyes. She winced as her hands throbbed in pain. "Jesus you got anything stronger than the painkillers you gave me earlier in your medical kit."

"If he don't, I got some Oxycotin in my cookie jar." Lafayette offered with a toss of his head.

"That sounds great," Tara said her eyes shining with the possibility of being taken on a pain free journey.

**-x-**

The trio found themselves seated at the small wooden table on the front porch, enjoying their meal while the last hours of night passed them by. They had hoped the slightly chilly fresh air would calm their frazzled nerves.

"Oh my fucking god." Tara moaned almost obscenely around the last piece of sour cream and salsa coated quesadilla she stuffed into her mouth. "Lala, I have missed your cooking so much."

Lafayette nodded at the compliment, shooting his cousin a concerned look. "Okay, bitch is you even chewing right now?"

"Uh uh." Tara replied with a shake of her head and proceeded to gulp down the tequila straight from the bottle.

Lafayette grabbed the bottle from her hold. "Hookah, slow down before we spend the rest of the night nursing yo puking ass."

"I'm not gon' get sick, you know I hold my liquor better than that." Tara said, leaning back and patting her stomach with contentment. "I could use a cigarette."

"Me too." Lafayette agreed, standing and disappearing into the house. He returned just a moment later with a Royal Dansk cookie tin. He opened it to reveal a pretty extensive assortment of drug paraphernalia.

"You still keep yo weed in a Christmas cookie tin?" Tara asked, struggling to light the cigarette dangling from her lips with the stiff bandages on each palm.

"If it ain't broke, bitch." Lafayette said, plucking the lighter from her fingers and lighting the cigarette with a smug smile.

"I would have got it, retard." Tara said, taking a long puff from her cigarette.

"Hoe," Lafayette said quickly, taking out his rolling machine and a small ziplock bag of marijuana.

"Slut," Tara countered, flicking a small cluster of ash away.

"Bitch."

"Skank."

"Jezebel."

"African booty scratcher," Tara said calmly, blowing a stream of smoke into her cousin's face.

Lafayette narrowed his eyes to slits before he gave up trying to hold his laughter and tossed his head back with a guffaw. "Whoa, hookah. You went throwback on a bitch," he said, licking the end of the unrolled strip of paper to seal the joint.

"Like you didn't?" Tara replied with a raise of her eyebrow. "Who the fuck calls people a jezebel anymore?"

Jesus just shook his head chuckling quietly at the two cousins. He slid his chair back from the table abruptly. "Excuse me." He stood and quickly ducked behind one of the large bushes next to one of porch support beams.

When the sound of Jesus urinating off the porch made its way to her ears, Tara's nose crinkled with disgust. "Men are so fucking gross sometimes," she said with a belch.

"I've been thinking and I just don't get it." Jesus said, zipping his pants and coming back to the table where Lafayette and Tara sat. "What does Eric hope to gain by telling us not to gather?"

"I know one motherfucking thing. He ain't gon' forget about this, which is why we need to be proactive," Lafayette said with a long pull from his joint.

Tara glanced at her cousin warily. "I know you ain't suggesting-"

"Go to Fangtasia." Lafayette cut her off, confirming her suspicions.

"I thought you said we should just forget about it?" Tara asked in confusion.

"What exactly are you expecting by visiting Eric?" Jesus asked his boyfriend gently.

"I'm expecting to throw my black ass on his mercy and beg his forgiveness. Let him know it was all Marnie and not us and hopefully stop us from getting killed," Lafayette said without an ounce of shame.

"Are you kidding me? What you're talking about is suicide," Jesus said looking at his boyfriend. He placed his hand over Lafayette's and squeezed it, comforting. "We'll find another way to get out of this."

"Yeah, naw. We ain't letting you do that." Tara said with a shake of her head.

"Bitch, you need to do yourself a solid and get yourself on out of this fucked up place," Lafayette said with a toss of his head. "Go back to your hot girlfriend and leave all the pain this shithole has dumped on you behind."

"Uh, yeah I'm gonna skip town and leave you when you in big trouble with a vampire and possibly a psychotic witch that couldn't even manage a resurrection spell without losing her shit," Tara said, knocking back another shot of Tequila. "That's just the kind of person I am." she finished sarcastically.

"That's another thing I don't get about this night. Marnie is a pretty accomplished Priestess. Why did everything go wrong at the end of the spell?" Jesus asked with a furrowed brow.

"Because I didn't do that last symbol right," Lafayette said as a matter of factly, stubbing out his joint. He exhaled the smoke and waited for the other two people's reactions.

"You betrayed the circle?" Jesus asked softly.

"I saved my cousin's life." Lafayette clarified.

"You're right. You're right. I'm just shocked that nothing too major happened," Jesus said, caressing Lafayette's hand. "Transposing symbols sometimes has catastrophic consequences."

"And that's why I say fuck you to your suggestion of leaving town," Tara said, tugging at her bandages. "I've got your back, bitch and I owe you for saving my life."

Lafayette hummed noncommittally and stretched his hands over his head. He glanced at his watch and stood suddenly. "Shit. I got to get up in a few hours and go to work. I'm going to beddie bed. Y'all bitches clean." He all but commanded, pointing to the table. "Night," He said over his shoulder as he walked inside the house.

Tara waited until the door had completely shut behind him and leaned forward. "Promise me you won't let him go to Fangtasia," she whispered to Jesus.

Jesus stood, gathering up the dirty dishes. "Of course not."

"Sometimes he gets a bug in his bonnet." Tara said, finishing the last of the Tequila. She figured she pretty much deserved it given her injuries.

"Don't worry. I can convince him in a way that will make him think it was his idea" Jesus said confidently, opening the screen door.

"I heard that." A disgruntled Lafayette yelled from inside.

Jesus chuckled in response while Tara nearly choked on her liquor. "Oops." Was all the man said as he continued in the house.

Just as the door closed a second time, Tara sat back and listened to the symphony of crickets and locusts as their sounds lit up the night sky. She supposed she shouldn't have been surprised out how crazy the day turned out.

Her phone beeped with an incoming message but she already knew who it was. Pressing a few button on the screen, Tara read the message from Naomi.

_Hey, baby! I'm off to our big, empty bed alone. ;-) I miss u. The ring just wasn't the same w/o u. _

_I miss u too. :-*_ Tara texted back quickly with a smile. _"Goodnight."_

Naomi response was almost immediate._ "Goodnight." _

"_Go back to your hot girlfriend…"_ Lafayette's earlier words suddenly entered her head. To say Tara wasn't tempted to go back to Naomi and live out the rest of her days in New Orleans would be a bold faced lie. She had the perfect out as she could claim that the stress of seeing family and being wracked with more grief that she could handle for her abrupt return. The temptation was insanely great but she wouldn't and couldn't allow her cowardice to rule her decisions. They never had before. She would stay and fight alongside her cousin however long this situation with Eric and Marnie continued.

Part of her had to admit that Lafayette's idea had merit. Going to Fangtasia would indeed give them the jump on the situation. Tara shook her head at the thought, gazing intently at the bottle of cheap tequila like it as her enemy. She peeled the label away slowly, thankful to have something to occupy her hands as her brain swam with all these rapid thoughts.

Even if they went to Fangtasia as a unified front with rational heads it was suicide. Eric and Pam would not be willing to negotiate. Their hearts would be still beating as they were grabbed from their chests.

Tara decided she would do the rational thing available to her in this situation: she would ask Sookie for a favor. She grabbed the remaining trash from the table and threw it out the in the large trashcan located just off the edge of the porch. She decided that she may as well get a couple of hours sleep before she spent the day saving her cousin from himself.

**-x-**

As soon as they walked into Merlotte's the next afternoon, Lafayette all but ran to the kitchen, taking stock of the food and started the preparation work for the dinner specials.

Tara eyes tracked his every movement as she leaned against the seasoned butcher block in the middle of the kitchen. She was also keeping half an eye out for Sam. There was just too much on her plate at the moment and she did not want to run into the man just yet.

"Hookah, is you gon' follow me every motherfucking where today?" Lafayette asked, annoyed as he started bringing meat out of the walk in freezer. He was not at all amused while she stood outside the bathroom while he was taking a shower but now her little junior stalker act was getting on his last nerve.

"I gotta make sure you don't do anything stupid," Tara said plainly as if the answer to the question was obvious.

"Like thinking you have a chance at trying to stake a thousand year old vampire?" Lafayette countered.

"That was to save your sorry ass," Tara responded. "You know the same one you're trying to throw back into danger?"

"And speaking of my fine ass, you gon' watch me piss?" Lafayette challenged with a hand on his right hip.

"You ain't got nothing I ain't seen before," Tara said with an unimpressed wave of her hand.

"You may have, but bitch, you ain't ready to take a gander at this snake." Lafayette replied, humping the oven handle in front of him.

Tara's lip curled up in disgust. "What the fuck ever. Just know I'm keeping my eye on you."

"Ise gon' be here cooking alls day for ya, boss." Lafayette called out with a fake slave dialect.

Tara extended her middle finger in his direction and started to sit on a stool at the bar with a great vantage point of the kitchen when Sookie came through the door, smoothing down the stray hairs sticking up from her ponytail.

"Hey, Tara." Sookie greeted with a bright smile as she spotted her best friend.

"Sook, I need a favor." Tara said without preamble, dragging the blonde's arm and pulling her into a nearby booth. "I need you to talk to Eric Northman and beg him to forgive Lafayette."

"Forgive him for what?" Sookie asked confused.

"He'll know." Tara said vaguely.

"But what if he doesn't?" Sookie countered in an odd tone of voice.

Tara sighed and clenched her jaw before speaking. "Last night I went with Jesus and Lafayette to this Wicca circle thing that Holly and them are in and Eric attacked us and one of the witches cast a spell to make him leave," she explained in a rush.

"Do you know what spell?" Sookie eyes lit up as she leaned forward eagerly.

"No. It was in another fucking language," Tara replied with a scowled. "Why do I get the feeling you're more upset about what happened to Eric than say the leader of the circle that he bit or me who he tried to?"

"Oh my god, Tara," Sookie said, grabbing the other woman's hand in comfort. She frowned as she felt the bandages under her fingertips. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed suddenly. "What happened?"

"Yeah after Eric left shit got way more weird," Tara said with a shake of her head. "Fucking circle leader tried to sacrifice me."

"Oh my god." Sookie again said the only phrase that seemed to surfacing in her mind. "You've had a long homecoming."

"I'll say." Tara chuckled humorlessly. "So, please, can you try to square things between Lafayette and Eric so he doesn't end up 'dead' in the dungeon of Fangtasia again?"

"I'm pretty sure Lafayette doesn't have anything to fear from Eric right now but I'll be happy to talk to him if I run into him," Sookie said casually, avoiding Tara's eyes.

"If?" Tara asked her brow furrowed with confusion. "He bought your house. He even has a cubby in it."

"Well, I haven't seen him- well, not since Pam's told me he's gone missing." Sookie said with a blank expression.

"Missing?" Tara echoed, banging her right hand on the table in frustration. "Fuck." She paused when she didn't immediately feel pain radiating through her hand. "What the fuck?" She whispered slowly and peeled away the bandages on her left hand. The cuts on her hand were completely healed. "That sneaky bastard," she said with a shake of her head.

"Who's a sneaky bastard?" Sookie asked.

"Jesus." Tara explained. "He knew I wouldn't consent to using vampire's blood to heal my wounds so he must have poured some on the bandages before wrapping my hands last night," she said, removing the second bandage.

"Well, hello stranger," Sam said as he walked up to the booth. "When did you get back?"

"Uh, yesterday," Tara said quietly and contritely.

"Wow, my tables aren't gonna wait themselves," Sookie announced loudly as she stood from the booth and slipped away from the awkward moment, ignoring the pleading look on Tara's face.

"Join me for a shot of Tequila?" Sam asked breezily.

Tara nodded when she realized that Sam wasn't going to skewer her with twenty questions in the middle of Merlotte's. She could always do with a little more liquor to dull her senses, and she knew Sam was offering some of his good shit. "Hell, yeah." She smiled.

Sam looked almost genuinely surprised when she accepted his invitation. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Tara affirmed and stood from the booth, following the man outside.

The evening sun had just begun its leisurely descent behind the horizon when Sam and Tara perched on the former's porch. Sam poured the drinks and handed Tara one, lifting his own up in a toast. "Here's to old friends."

"To old friends," Tara echoed and drank her shot down quickly. She grinned at the familiar burn as it made its way down her throat and warming her belly.

"I'm assuming we still are, otherwise I wouldn't bother asking you: 'What the fuck?'" Sam asked, setting down his glass on the wooden railing in front of him.

"I need a little more information to know what you're talking about." Tara said, placing her own glass beside Sam's.

"I tell you I'm a shifter and you leave town. Now I don't mind sharing but that fucking hurts," Sam said, leaning against the railing on his porch facing Tara.

Tara's mouth quirked in a quick, rueful smile as she nodded in understanding. "That's not why I left. I was just following your advice. You said I could start a brand new life."

"I never said any such thing," Sam said, shaking his head with a frown. "'Cuz that ain't true. The life we got is the life we got," he intoned sagely.

"In any case, the jury's still out on that for me."

"Still hate me for being a shifter?" Sam asked gently almost as if he was afraid of the answer.

"I never hated you for anything," Tara said with a small smile.

"Yeah?" Sam asked

"Yeah," Tara said with a definite nod of her head. "Besides there are worse things you could be, Sam. You could be a fucking fanger," she said jokingly.

Sam chuckled on cue and said, "You know not all vampires are that bad."

"Name one." Tara challenged with incredulity dripping from her voice.

Sam's easy going expression faltered for just a second. "I try not to get too close to vampires myself. They don't smell particularly great to me and I'm no picnic for them either," he replied, sheepishly.

"That's a cop out," Tara responded, shoving his shoulder with a small chuckle.

"No, I've got one," Sam said with a tiny proud smile on his face. "Jessica is the only one that's ever been polite enough to not say anything about my smell. Bill also wasn't so bad until he became Vampire King of Louisiana."

"Hey Tara, Sam?" Jesus greeted as he came walking out of the back door of Merlotte's. "You seen Lafayette?"

"He's in the kitchen," Tara said with the utmost confidence.

"No, he's not," Jesus said with a shake of his head.

"Fuck." Tara said. "Bye Sam." She said, running off the porch and around the bar to the parking lot.

"I came by here to make sure he didn't do anything stupid." Jesus followed on her heels.

"Shit his car is gone!" Tara exclaimed, kicking rocks up in her anger.

"Terry said he paid him a hundred dollars to cover his shift tonight." Jesus informed Tara as he looked across the parking lot for any possible signs of Lafayette.

"I thought you said you talked him out of it?" Tara asked accusingly.

"I thought I did," Jesus said, tossing his hands in the air. He turned and headed for his truck.

"We should take my car. I got something we're probably gonna need in the trunk!" Tara yelled over to him already reaching for the driver's side door handle. She turned the key in the ignition just as Jesus jumped into the passenger seat. "He couldn't have more than twenty minutes on us tops," she said, speeding out of the parking lot.

**-x-**

Tara screeched to a stop outside Fangtasia, narrowly missing one of the protesters gathered outside the vampire bar. She quickly opened her trunk and retrieved the revolver from her emergency roadside kit.

"Hey, you in a rush to sate your lust for dead bodies, fangbanger?" A guy asked with a cellphone pointed to Tara's direction.

"I ain't no fucking fangbanger," Tara said, checking the ammo in her gun before locking the barrel back in place with a quick flick of her wrist. "And if I come back through that door and you're still standing there, you're going to wish you'd stayed home tonight." She warned him as she and Jesus rushed into the bar without waiting for the man's reply.

The bar was deserted except for the one human stocking the bar with Tru Blood. Ginger looked up with a bright yet apologetic smile. "I'm sorry y'all but we're closed for at least another hour but you're welcome to hang around outside until then."

Tara ignored her words and marched straight up to the bar. "Take me to my cousin!" she said, pointing her gun in Ginger's face. "Scream and I'll shoot." She added when the other woman went pale as her mouth fell open.

Jesus made his way around the bar and grabbed Ginger by her shoulders. The blonde led them into the basement.

"You and those goddamn witches erased his memory," Pam said with a forceful foot to Lafayette's chest.

She was sufficiently distracted as Tara, Jesus, and Ginger came down the stairs. Tara breathed a small sigh of relief to see that Lafayette was still alive if not a little banged up.

Pam leaned down slowly. "And now I'm going to erase you."

"Like hell you are." Tara proclaimed, the gun in her hand. Her gaze never wavered as Pam turned to face them in a blur. The young woman was suddenly struck with how much more beautiful the vampire was now that her eyes were in focus. Lafayette scrambled to his feet and ran across the room to the safety of his cousin's side.

"Oh, look, it's my sexy piece of chocolate. Why don't you put the gun down, lover, and we can talk rationally?" Pam drawled amusedly. "Just us girls."

"I'm not your anything." Tara growled as her eyes narrowed in a glare. "And the only talking that would be happening between anybody if we were alone would be my fucking pistol going off into your heart."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Pam." Ginger said quickly, struggling in Jesus' arms. "She pulled a gun on me."

Pam's face held a bored expression. "I do find the fact that you think you can threaten me with a gun is laughable."

"I bet you don't think the wooden bullets in it are too damn funny," Tara countered thrusting the gun in Pam's direction for good measure.

Pam raised a single eyebrow at the challenge in Tara's voice. "I'm listening."

"We're part of the circle that did the spell and we may have a chance at reversing the spell placed on Eric," Jesus said, keeping his hold on Ginger.

"You're a witch?" Pam asked in disbelief.

Jesus nodded. "I'm a Brujo."

Before he could finish his sentence, Ginger screamed bloody murder and ran upstairs.

"We can bring you the leader of the coven. She's the only somebody that can reverse the spell." Lafayette added quickly.

"Or I can shoot you right in the heart," Tara stated plainly, her finger caressing the trigger.

Pam eyes gleamed in intrigue as she pretended to weigh her options. "I'll give you twenty four hours to deliver that witch to me or I will personally eat, fuck, and kill all three of you." She said deliberately. "That goes double for you, Annie Oakley."

"I'd like to see you try." Tara responded with a tilt head and a challenge in her dark eyes. She waved her hand for Jesus and Lafayette to go upstairs first. She kept her gun trained on Pam as each woman seemed unwilling to break the staring contest they were now in engaged in. Tara backed up to the staircase and quickly made her way to out of the basement.

Tara, Jesus, and Lafayette rushed out of Fangtasia only to find their cars being blocked by the same group of protesters from earlier.

"Hey, fangbanger you finish quick, don't ya?" the guy from earlier said, his cell phone zooming in at Tara's face.

"As I told you before, I'm not a fangbanger." Tara lifted her gun and shot the cell phone out of his hand. The device exploded into useless expensive pieces of plastic and landed by the guy's feet. "I'm a cagefighter and as you can see I'm a very, _very_ good shot now move so me and my cousin can get our cars and go home."

The now silent protesters parted for Tara, Jesus, and Lafayette like the red sea as they moved to their cars. When Tara settled in her car, she felt a pair of eyes watching her. She found the culprit as she switched the car into reverse and checked her mirror for any obstructions. She found her gaze locked with a beautiful pair of glacial blue across the parking lot.

Pam was leaning against the doorjamb with a small impressed quirk of her lips. She bared her fangs and blew Tara a kiss.

Tara responded with her middle finger and peeled out of the parking lot after her cousin.

**-x-**

As soon as Lafayette exited his car, he was assaulted by a right hook that tossed his head to the side. "Ow! What the fuck, hookah!?"

"I told your stupid ass not to go to Fangtasia." Tara said, shoving him up against the car angrily. "If we hadn't of made it in time, we'd be burying your ass, that is if Pam left enough of your body after she finished torturing and violating you," she said with a few more slaps before pulling Lafayette into a tight hug. "Don't ever fucking do that to me again."

"I'm sorry." Lafayette responded as he returned the hug gently. "At least now we know what happened to Eric." He offered.

"Yeah we do," Tara agreed with a nod. "But now we have to get Marnie to reverse the spell and hopefully not make me another sacrificial lamb in the process." She said, rubbing her thumbs across her now healed palms. "I don't know how many more near death experiences I have left."

"Just bring your gun with you. Where'd you learn to shoot anyway?" Jesus asked, checking over Lafayette's face for any injuries.

"Guy named Big John that owned a bar over in Texas. He liked my quick wit and inventive vocabulary for some of his more rowdy customers. One day we went hunting as a bonding experience and found out I was natural." "He gave me a few beauties as parting gift when I told him I was ready to move on." Tara explained, searching through her trunk for ammo. She held up the box and shook it, smiling when there was barely a rattle to it, signifying that she had plenty of ammo. She replaced the single bullet she shot and closed the trunk once more.

"When are we going to see Marnie?" Jesus asked.

"The day is already gone." Tara replied. "We might as well get some rest and so we can wake refreshed and ready to tackle the day."

"Bitch we only have another-" Lafayette glanced at his watch- "twenty two hours before we get raped, bitten, and killed and I'm not even positive it would be in that order." He finished with a shiver.

"I'll call Marnie and let her know we're coming over early tomorrow morning." Jesus said putting his cell phone to his ear. After a few moments he slowly lowered the phone with a worried look on his face. "She didn't answer the phone." He informed them gravely.

"Maybe she's asleep."

"Six days before Halloween?" Jesus asked in disbelief as he shook his head in the negative. "Marnie lives for Halloween. She'd be trying to contact the dead all week." He said, heading to his car. "Something's happened to her."

"Whoa." Tara said, grabbing his arm tightly. "What that fuck? Have you two been drinking the same water that erases your instinct for self-preservation? If something _is_ wrong why should I care?"

"Marnie is the only one with a decent chance of reversing that damn memory spell."

"Okay, but think for just a second. We've just barely managed to escape a blonde, sadistic vampire who already has put a time clock on our lives." Tara paused letting her reasoning sink in for a couple of seconds, "Do you think it's wise to go running to Marnie half-cocked? I'm damn sure not going back to Shreveport tonight and neither should you."

"Can we all just get some sleep and worry about it in the morning?" Lafayette asked tiredly as he trudged toward the house.

Jesus still looked torn but he finally acquiesced and followed the two cousins into the house.

**-x-**

Halfway across the globe, deep in the nearly obliterated ruins of King Solomon's Temple, a sarcophagus burst open with a deafening boom. A figure steps from the wreckage assessing their current situation. With a screech and a wave of their hand, they formed a crater in the ground and stepped from their tomb into the balmy air of dusk.

With a hiss of great agony the figure shielded themselves from the final rays of sunlight. Their wounds healed slowly, much too slowly for this being of great age. They cast cool eyes over the people gawking at the spectacle that was this pale, nude being standing before them. The being's fangs protracted with all but deafening snap as they sped forward obliterating the humans that didn't have the foresight to run. After nearly a ten mile trail of bodies, the being's hunger was finally sated as their body was now covered in a slick, scarlet costume of death.

"שלטװ וה ׳ה׳ה בפלא" They proclaimed, holding two bleeding hearts in their tightly clenched fists with a maniacal laugh that froze the night air with its fanatic cruelty.

**-End of Chapter One-**

* * *

**Whew! So that was a hella long chapter but I like reading long chapters so I figured no one would really complain about the length. ^_^ What do you think of the start so far? How about almostasbattyasBellatrix!Marnie? **

**If you'd like to, let me know all that and more in a PM or review! I'd love to hear all of your thoughts!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MC**

**P.S. The translation for the antagonist's language is as follows: "This reign shall be glorious." **

**BETA NOTE: If anyone has a better Hebrew translation, leave it in the comments? I'm a Jew, and it doesn't look quite right to me…**

**P.S.S. If any of you are reading any of my other multichaptered fic there will be an update soon, I just really needed to bang this out so me and my muse would get back on speaking terms. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** After Dark

**Fandom:** True Blood

**Pairing:** Pam/Tara (Tamela)

**Author:** Mirandyscrow

**Rating:** Pg-13 to NC-17

**Summary: ** While it barely took two hours for trouble to find Tara when she returns to Bon Temps its takes just a little longer for the True Blood crew to realize that the world may be doomed…again? Amnesic vampires, psychotic witches and a love she never expected make this a homecoming she'll never forget. This story will be **femslash**!

**Archive:** Sure if you really want it. Lol, it would be a surprise to me, just ask my permission first. (It's nice when people ask)

**Disclaimer:** True Blood belongs to Alan Ball, Charlaine Harris, and HBO. Any and all other brand names belong to their respective owners. This if a piece of fiction from my own crazy imagination and I do not make any profit on it.

**Spoilers:** All of Season 4.

**Author's Note:** First off, I want to say that I'm going to be playing fast and loose with the plot and timeline of this season. There's dialogue borrowed heavily from the show with a few tweaks here and there before we slip, trip, and fall straight into Alternate Universe land shortly after what can be recognized as Season 4, episode 4 "I'm Alive and On Fire."

**Second Author's Note:** There are various languages in this chapter and I have included translations for those languages at the end of the chapter.

**Beta(s):** Mad props to my betas: My beautiful wife, ** faithlessfate **for whipping this story into shape and making it worth reading! Any and all careless mistakes I claim as my own.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Forget to Remember**

The next morning, Jesus, Lafayette, and Tara approached the Moon Goddess Emporium with equal parts apprehension and eagerness.

"I'm glad you parked the car right outside the door in case we have to make a quick getaway," Tara said as she quickly checked the ammunition in her gun.

Jesus closed the driver's side door with a slam and made his way to the cage fighter. "Tara, I don't think marching in there gun a-blazing will convince Marnie to help us."

"If you think I'm going into that witch hut without a weapon you're fucking mistaken. I'm taking this gun for my own protection and yours as well," Tara said with firm resolve.

Jesus paused in his response while watched him weigh her perspective but Tara didn't have to weigh a thing. She'd already decided refuse to enter the building without being armed. If Marnie even glanced at her the wrong way she was going to put several new orifices in her head and it was as simple as that.

Jesus decided it was best to just keep quiet and walked into the building. "Marnie?" he called out loudly as soon as they moved carefully through the door.

The magic shop was arranged in the exact same grisly scene just a couple of days ago when Tara was being offered up as a sacrifice.

"Oh fuck," Lafayette said, taking in the state of the magic shop. He covered his mouth as his eyes fell on the droplets of dried blood making a warped trail of breadcrumbs from the candle pentagram to the front door.

Tara's arm was outstretched in front of her as she trained her gun on every piece of furniture in the magic shop that was big enough to hide behind. "Where that bitch at?" She shuffled cautiously inside the store, combating the urge to gag when the bitter, earthy scent of sage and her own stale blood reached her nose.

Jesus tried his best to ignore the sights and smells as he continued through a curtain of beads into the small living space Marnie had made for herself in the backroom of the shop. "Marnie!" He yelled, rushing forward to the figure deposited carelessly on the twin bed in the corner of the room. He immediately pressed two fingers against her neck and exhaled a grateful breath. "She's alive," he said happily, turning to Lafayette and Tara.

"That's great but we need her awake so she can help us not get dead," Tara replied. She did not put her gun away as she wasn't completely convinced this wasn't a cleverly disguised ploy to lull them into a false sense of security before the witch decided to strike.

"Marnie." Jesus tried to rouse the woman, shaking her firmly.

"How about some water?" Tara suggested callously, pointing in the far corner of the room. "There may be some in the refrigerator." She saw Lafayette walk away out of the corner of her eye.

"We don't know how injured she may be spiritually," Jesus said with a shake of his head. "I don't think shocking her awake would be a good idea," He finished just as Lafayette tossed a cup full of ice cold water over the Priestess' face. The water just slipped off her skin with no reaction from the being it was attached to.

Tara lowered her arm slowly as she watched the liquid seep into the blanket underneath Marnie. "We're fucked six hundred and sixty-six ways from Sunday, ain't we?" she asked finally tucking the weapon into the waistband of her jeans.

"Not yet," Jesus said as he got up and started mumbling to himself in Spanish. He began gathering ingredients from the sales floor.

"You want to let us in on the plan here, boyfriend?" Lafayette asked him.

"I may have a way to get Marnie back on this plane," Jesus explained simply as he began to place the items on the floor.

"On _this_ plane?" Tara echoed in confusion. "Where the fuck do you think she is?"

Jesus poured a circle of salt on the floor. "I think maybe she's traveled deep into her subconscious or maybe to another plane of existence to escape the magical stress she endured the other night."

"You think Marnie is off on some magical quest away from her body?" At Jesus' nod, Tara shook her head angrily. "We don't have the time for side spells. We need to wake this psycho bitch up now and have her reverse the spell on Eric."

Jesus was silent as studied the incense and herbs he had at his feet. "This may just be the way to do it," He responded resolutely.

"But it's not a guarantee?" Tara asked just to be sure.

"No, but it's the only chance we really have right now and it'll take longer if we keep arguing about it." Jesus carefully placed a gold Apatite crystal in the middle of Marnie's forehead. "The time in the spirit world travels much more slowly. I could spend nearly a year there and have it only be five minutes out here," he continued, lighting a couple of sticks of incense. He lowered himself onto the floor and got comfortable. "Here goes nothing." he exhaled shakily. A gust of wind swirl around Jesus as his back went ramrod straight and his irises disappeared from his eyes. "Vida a la vida y la mente de la mente, me uno a tu espíritu ahora a lo mía, yo guardo mi alma y mi viaje a, aquel cuyo pensamiento, me gustaría saber."

His mouth fell open and a thin line of white essence spilled from his lips followed by a blood-curling yell. The crystal on Marnie's forehead glowed brightly as Jesus' essence passed through it and into her.

"Baby!" Lafayette called out, rushing forward.

"No!" Tara grabbed his forearm tightly. "He specifically said _not_ to interfere."

"Hookah, let me go," Lafayette demanded, shrugging from Tara's hold. "I'm not gon' let him hurt hisself," He insisted as she caught his arm once more.

"Just stop for a second. Jesus seems to know what he's doing." Tara squeezed her hand in warning. "Something terrible could happen if we interrupt him and I think that's exactly why he didn't tell us it would be this painful."

They stood, watching as Jesus broke out in a sweat while he twitched and chanted in Spanish under his breath. After what seemed like an eternity the man was suddenly blasted from the salt circle he created, just a second later the wispy essence followed and thrust itself into Jesus' chest.

Jesus arched up and took a deep breath. He exhaled in a ragged, hacking cough before he stood shakily with Lafayette's help. "How," he began before another set of coughs seized his body. "How long have I been gone?"

"You burned two hours," Tara answered grimly, handing him a cool bottle of water to soothe his throat. "What happened to you? Did you find Marnie?"

"Marnie is being invaded with an ancient witch's spirit. She's not going to be any help for awhile," Jesus said, gulping down the water gratefully. "I'm sorry it took so long but I had to try and make sure we exhausted every option to waking up Marnie."

"We forgive you, now let's try and find a solution to the memory spell," Tara replied, walking out of the backroom and heading straight for the books on the shelf behind the sales counter. Her eyes skimmed each title and decided on a couple of books that spoke of recovering lost things. It was ambiguous but anything was worth a shot at this point.

Jesus and Lafayette followed her lead and the three moved silently across the room to Marnie's Tarot table. Tara brushed the cards and charms to the floor roughly and slammed her books on the table. She sat down, opened the first one up to the index and began to read. Lafayette occupied the chair across from her and immediately shot up in terror, looking around the shop baffled.

Tara nearly jumped from her own chair as she eyed her cousin. "What the fucks gotten into you?"

Lafayette gazed at the ceiling before fastening his eyes on Tara. "Did you hear that?"

"Lala, we don't have time for this." Tara sighed and went back reading.

"Bitch, I'm serious. I heard someone calling my name," Lafayette said, pointing towards his abandoned seat. "Come here and sit in this chair."

"You're coming into your powers," Jesus said proudly as he studied his lover.

"I don't want to come into anything besides," Lafayette began and smirked not finishing his sentence. "Naw, that's too easy even for me."

Jesus ignored the statement and took his boyfriend's hand. "I've suspected you were a Medium for awhile."

"Congratulations, Harry. You're a fucking wizard," Tara snarked from her chair, twirling a mocking finger in the air with phony glee. "If you can't sit there then move around and sit on that fugly ass green chair if it'll make you feel better. It's nearly the afternoon so crack a book, bitch."

"You on the rag, hookah?" Lafayette asked with lift of his eyebrow.

"No, I'm not gonna sit here and shoot the shit with y'all so I can be raped by a bottle blonde vampire Barbie tonight so we'll discuss your powers at half past not right the fuck now." Tara proclaimed, reclining back in her chair so she could rest her feet on the table. She crossed them casually at the ankles and pointedly flipped through the pages of her book as if it was the most interesting thing since sliced bread.

Lafayette eyed his former chair once more before grabbing his pile of reading material and backing away carefully as if the chair was suddenly going to attack him if he moved too fast. He and Jesus settled down on a small bench near the display counter.

Tara waited until she heard sound of pages rustling before sparing a glance at the two men. She couldn't help but notice how Lafayette and Jesus were unconsciously drawing strength from each other, leaning on each other for support. She watched as Lafayette flipped a page and reached out grasping Jesus' hand in his own. She found herself instantly missing Naomi and wishing to come clean about everything.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, Tara hit the home button illuminating the screen and frowned when there were no new messages for her. She placed it on the table beside her. If any notifications popped up she wouldn't miss a one. She stared at the device and before she could contemplate what she was doing, she'd already hit the button on her redial.

'_Hey you've reached Naomi. You know what to do.'_

Tara had expected the voice mail to pick up as it was still a bit early for Naomi to be up but the impersonal automated voice informing her of her options still hurt. The beep sounded and she took a deep breath. "Hey, Naomi. I'm sorry I'm probably not going to get in touch with you before your match but I just wanted to say I miss you and I l-" she swallowed as the words stuck in her throat, making it uncomfortably tight. "I'll give you call later. See ya." The cage fighter concluded and placed the phone back on the table.

"_Tara…" _A reverberating, disembodied voice floated to the young woman from her left.

Her head pivoted toward the sound but she refused to speak until she was sure it was real. As if purely to confirm her suspicions the voice called out once more and she ignored them, resolving to burrow herself into the pages of incantations.

"Shut the fuck up," Tara grumbled at the mysterious entity still attempting to get her attention a few hours later. Her stomached echoed the sentiment with an audible growl. "Goddamn, I'd kill for a sandwich or something," she said, rubbing her abdomen in sympathy.

"There's a little sandwich shop up the block," Lafayette said, standing and stretching his arms over his head. "We'll take a quick lunch break and hit the books again."

"You need any cash?" Tara asked, preparing to reach into her pocket.

"Nah, I got it covered," Lafayette said over his shoulder as he walked out of the door.

Tara shot Jesus a curious gaze as he cursed in Spanish and tossed yet another book to a growing pile on the floor beside him. "I'm guessing you still haven't found anything?" she asked in a wry tone.

"What ever gave you that idea?" Jesus asked bitterly as he grabbed the spellbook Lafayette abandoned.

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood," Tara said, lifting her hands up in surrender.

"You were the one that imposed the 'no talking' rule on us," Jesus countered with a purposeful look.

"I'm just stressed, alright?" Tara said, running a hand through her hair. "Come nightfall we may be sex toys for a vampire due to a shit storm we didn't even start."

"I understand," Jesus said softly. "I'm not wild about the idea either."

"I know," Tara said with a humorless grin. She glanced at the man and a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Jesus, I've been turning the night over and over in my head and I gotta know something. When did you sneak that vampire blood onto my bandages?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Jesus asked baffled.

Tara ignored the red flags being waved frantically in her mind and ploughed forward. "The other night after Marnie," she clarified, pointing to the floor as if he needed a reminder. "You put V on my bandages to seal my cuts, didn't you?" she questioned just a second later.

"No, I didn't. You didn't want any so I respected your wishes." Jesus shot Tara a penetrating gaze. "I assumed you finally took Lafayette up on his offer after I'd already gone to work," He stated carefully. "Something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. Forget I said anything," Tara said, running her thumbs across her palms. Her heart rate sped up slowly as she thought about the possible ramifications of this revelation. She didn't have long to ponder it anymore because Lafayette came in with lunch.

The smells wafting from the bags had Tara nearly bowl the man over to get at her sandwich. "Oh my god. Is that a ribeye po-boy with extra gravy I smell?" Tara asked with a glazed look in her eyes.

"And a large cup of grape soda with extra ice," Lafayette said, brandishing the cup like it was the Holy Grail.

"I love you forever," Tara said, grabbing the drink and her plate and pulled the green chair up to Lafayette's and Jesus' bench and enjoyed what could have been their last lunch in peace.

Immediately after lunch, the trio spent the next hours of daylight pouring frantically through any and all texts even mentioning the mere theory of memory of spells. They occasionally swapped books just in case one pair of tired eyes missed an important detail. All too soon, dusk was settling fast across Shreveport, beckoning the slight chill to the otherwise balmy Louisiana nights and they were no closer to finding a counter spell.

Tara stared out of the window, dread sinking lower in to the pit of her stomach with every passing second. Just as the very last rays of sunshine disappeared from the horizon, the front door to the Moon Goddess Emporium opened with a bang and in strolled Pam.

"Hello, kiddies. Did you miss me?" The vampire cooed softly.

"Like a person would miss Herpes," Tara called out from her perch next to the window.

"Speaking from personal experience there, Aretha?" Pam asked with a raised eyebrow.

"From what I hear you're a better judge of sexually transmitted diseases considering your former life and all," Tara retorted, her fingers inching to grab the gun from her belt.

Pam's nostrils flared as she breathed in dried blood in the air. "What the fuck is this?" She asked, nodding to the floor littered with candles and the small bowl of Tara's old blood.

"None of your fucking business," Tara bit out quickly.

"Wrong," Pam countered, her voice hard as steel. "As soon as my maker went missing, everything in this rundown magic shop _became_ my business."

"Marnie tried another spell that had nothing to do with Eric," Tara said evasively.

Pam studied Tara coolly and acquiesced after a tense couple of seconds. "What have you come up with and where's the leader?" she demanded.

"She's…indisposed," Jesus, ever the diplomat, said carefully.

"Oh, that's too bad," Pam said with false compassion. "Well, you need to tell her that she's at my disposal now. As the rest of you are."

"Hold up," Lafayette said, looking at his watch. "We still have another thirty minutes exactly to deliver and the deal was that we could get you the witch that did this to Eric."

"She's through that curtain," Tara added with a point of her finger.

"Tara!" Jesus shouted disapprovingly.

"Fuck you." Tara said, standing. "After that bitch cast that memory spell and then tried to sacrifice me, I got no sympathy for her."

Pam vamp sped into the next room with Lafayette and Jesus on her heels.

Tara simply sighed and pulled her gun out of her waistband, hurrying to the back of the store. What she sees doesn't exactly surprise her at all. Pam has Marnie hoisted in the air by her throat.

"Wakey, wakey, witchy bitch." Pam sing-songed, slapping the unconscious woman hard. The vampire looked satisfied when blood welled up beneath the cut on the Priestess' now split bottom lip. She snarled as the other woman was still unresponsive. "What the fuck is wrong with her? I've seen more reaction from an English housewife," She said, dropping Marnie in a heap onto the floor.

"She's in a magic coma." Jesus grunted, half-dragging Marnie back to the bed with Lafayette's assistance.

"Well, looks like you've just inherited her cause," Pam announced with a smirk. "I'm going back to Fangtasia to make sure it's running smoothly. If I don't get a call ten minutes from now, I'll be back in eleven minutes with leashes in tow," she said and blurred out of sight.

"I hate her," Tara said with a growl.

"I told you cous," Lafayette stated, sliding Marnie's legs onto the bed. "The bitch is crazy."

"Not Pam," Tara said with a shake of her head. "Marnie. It's all her fault we're in this shit anyway. Jesus, what are we gonna do now?"

Jesus heaved a deep sigh and shook his head tiredly. "I don't know."

"We're fucked," Tara said, grabbing the closest thing she could find and heaving it across the room. The family portrait that shattered did little to calm her ire and she stalked out of the backroom.

"Can't you get the spirit world on some fucking guidance line and ask for their assistance or something?" Lafayette asked his boyfriend.

"It's worth a try," Jesus said, sitting on the floor Indian style. He opened his hands, a sign that he was happily accepting any offerings the spirits are willing to give him. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak, "Goddess come to us, light our way, reveal to us your wisdom."

Silence reigned in the room for a full thirty seconds while every waited with baited breath. Their shoulders slumped in disappointment just as a book fell from the shelf and hit the floor with a muted thud.

"The fuck!?" Tara exclaimed, pointing her gun at empty air.

Jesus crawled to the book carefully and hesitated to extend his hand toward it. As soon as his fingers brushed the cover, the book opened of its own accord and revealed a page to him. "I think this might be it. Thank you spirits!" he said happily as he scrambled to his feet. "Call Pam and let her know to meet us in the Bon Temps cemetery. We need to move fast." He said, grabbing several shopping bags from the counter.

Lafayette pulled out his cell phone and quickly scrolled for Fangtasia's number. He hit send and tossed the phone to Tara. "You talk to her, bitch. She's your funny Valentine."

"Fuck you," Tara said as placed the phone to her ear and waited for the vampire to answer.

**-x-**

Just as Jesus finished lighting the last candle of the circle, Pam vamp sped to their location with a look of calculated anger. "Well, isn't this a vastly unimpressive setup. I'd expected a smoking cauldron and pixie dust." Her eyes slid to Jesus then Lafayette. "Or at least some KY Jelly and body glitter."

"Insulting us is not the way to get what you want," Tara warned as she trained her gun on the vampire.

"Threatening your lives seemed pretty effective." Pam titled her head, appearing as if she was really thinking about it. "Perhaps I should stick with that."

"You might have a better chance at being intimidating when your old, saggy tits aren't on display for the world to see," Tara said thrusting the gun at the blonde.

"My tits have never been and never will be saggy. Maybe once this whole joke of an ordeal is over, you'll get the pleasure of finding out just how firm they are," Pam drawled with a smirk.

Jesus poured a circle of salt for protection. "It might be better to heal a vampire if he's actually here. I can't guarantee that the spell will work if he isn't present," he said regretfully.

"You know I'm really trying to understand why I'm hearing excuses when all I want is to see results," Pam said, examining her nails with a sigh. "Getting the spell to Eric is _your_ problem, Cheech."

"Give me a moment to center myself and we'll begin," Jesus said and shook out his limbs, trying to calm himself despite the tense atmosphere.

"You have sixty seconds and blood starts flying," Pam replied lowly. "You guys are so lame you can't even reverse your own magic. He's as good as dead anyway."

"So are you, bitch," Lafayette interjected quickly with a roll of his neck. "Ain't nobody here to keep you safe and we know where you fucking live at."

Pam looked mildly impressed by the quick comeback. "You've gotten a little too cocky in our time apart, Lafayette. Be sure you remember that attitude when I have you riding my fifteen inch dick without your precious Vaseline to keep you safe," she replied with a suggestive lick of her lips.

"You're not going to be doing anything but shoving it up your own dusty cunt come dawn." Tara was quick to take up for her cousin.

Pam faked a yawn in response. "The age jokes are getting really tired, Tara."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Tara growled out, angry at herself for not coming up with something better.

"Shut up as a comeback?" Pam chuckled derisively. "And here I thought you might have been a worthy verbal adversary. Are you going to tell me to turn blue as well?"

"You know what, I'm really sick of your shit," Tara said and stormed toward the vampire.

Pam blurred forward, straight for Tara and the younger woman shot on instinct. She was wholly stunned when Pam materialized three feet from her unharmed.

"One thing about humans," Pam intoned lazily as she strutted forward. "You're all creatures of habit."

Tara reaffirmed her stance and narrowed her eyes. "Don't walk one more step or I'll shoot I swear to God and this time I won't miss."

"You won't shoot me." Pam kept walking as slow and purposely as she dared. "You won't shoot me because if this works and Eric gets his memory back, you'll be facing Hell on earth." She let the gun rest against her heart without fear. "You don't know exactly what he's capable of and that uncertainty is what will keep you in line. If you're truly as fearless as you claim, you'll pull the trigger. If not," the blonde's hand flew up and caressed Tara's in a seemingly caring manner just to unnerve the younger woman. "Play nice."

Jesus cleared his throat. "It would be really better if Eric was here." He tried again, opening the book up to the correct page.

"Are you deaf or just fucktarded? He's. Not. Here. And you are now about to pull a hamster out of your ass or whatever you fags get up to for your magical thrills," Pam said with a condescending elegant clap of her hand as she walked back out of the circle. "Chop, chop."

"Okay," Jesus said, looking at the page again and stood at the four points of the circle blessing the cardinal directions. "Goddess of memory, Goddess of time. Heal your wayward child of the underworld. Bathe them in Hades." He paused and looked at the moon, as if to will it to lend its mystical powers to him.

Tara felt Pam's eyes track up and down her form and she glared back at the vampire, pulling the hammer back on the gun in warning. Pam looked unfazed as she rolled her eyes and focused on Jesus once more.

"In your pool of rememberance-"

"This is bullshit," Pam spat, interrupting Jesus as she paced back and forth like a caged lioness on the outside of the circle. "I don't have time for this you fudge-packing churro, fix my maker before I rip you-" she said, speeding forward, breaking the circle.

"No!" Jesus cried just a second too late. He, Tara, and Lafayette watched as a transparent amber sphere went slamming into Pam's frontal lobe. The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs as she sailed through the air and landed on a tombstone, cracking it in half.

"What happened?" Lafayette whispered fiercely to his boyfriend.

"Oh fuck," Tara said as she watched Pam's form for any signs of undead life. When none were apparent, her eyes snapped to Jesus. "What did you do to her?" she hissed.

"She did it to herself," Jesus said mournfully. "When she entered the circle with the intent to harm me, she must have taken the incomplete spell onto her being."

"Seriously!?" Tara screamed. "We are really fucked now. I mean I thought we were fucked before but this really is a new level. What are we going to do now?"

"We're going to get the hell out of dodge until this all this blows over, bitch," Lafayette said. He bent down, blowing out the candles nearest him. "We tried and failed to restore Eric's memory. I'm officially done," he said, wiping the imaginary dirt from his hands.

"What about her?" Jesus asked, nodding to the still form of Pam lying a few feet away.

"Fuck her," Tara said, pointing her gun at the unconscious vampire for emphasis. "She's a big bad fanger. She can deal with whatever comes her way."

Before anyone could react, Eric pried Tara's gun from her hands and held her head in his hands. Her neck was tilted, exposing her jugular to the hungry vampire.

"I want more," Eric proclaimed with a bloodstained mouth, baring his fangs. Suddenly, he was airborne. He landed gracefully on his feet just in time to see Pam crouch protectively in front of Tara.

"She's mine," Pam hissed through her fangs.

"Not for long," Eric taunted confidently and rushed her. He moved too fast for Pam to track and slapped her to the ground.

Pam slid across the moist earth and shot her foot up into Eric's abdomen. Eric barely moved from the blow and brought his fist down on her knee, breaking it from the joint with a sickening pop.

Pam screamed in agony and Eric hesitated in his next assault. He felt an uncomfortable sensation grip his heart at her pain.

Meanwhile, Pam had already begun to feel the bones begin to slide back in place and quickly wretched her leg from Eric's hold. She used her position to punch him in the crotch with all her might and fled to the other side of the cemetery to allow her leg time to heal completely.

The Viking growled in rage and took off after her. Almost as if she felt his presence, the other blonde, flipped just out of reach when his fingers attempted to close around her hair.

Pam twisted her body and kicked out sideways with both legs, sending Eric sprawled onto the ground.

"Now would be the time to leave while they're distracted," Jesus said.

"Uh uh," Tara said with a shake of her head. "I'm not going anywhere until I know for a fact they're piles of entrails," she said. Her eyes trying to track the vampire's movement. She was able to catch the second wounded look in Pam's eyes before the vampire flashed out of the way of Eric's own well-timed kick.

"Wow, she's really holding own," Tara whispered as she glanced at Lafayette. "I thought you said Eric was a thousand years old?"

"He is," Lafayette confirmed with a nod. "Maybe vampires are granted extra strength when they are fighting for something. Kinda like when a bitch gets an adrenaline rush and lifts a Toyota off her trapped children. Besides, Eric is a badass Viking warrior. I doubt he would release Pam unto the world without the basics of fighting," he said just in time to watch as Pam caught Eric's hand mid-punch but was unable to stop the next hit and went flying and crashed to the ground.

Hard.

The humans cringed at the sound her body made as it impacted the soft soil of the cemetery.

Eric picked Pam up by the throat and slammed her against a tree. "Avkastning till mig," he growled, pressing her hard against the tree, the wood splintered and creaked in protest.

Pam's response was swift and resolute as she struggled in his hold with all her might. "Jag kommer inte låta dig skada henne."

Eric's eyes bulged slightly as he registered the quick response. "Du förstår mig?" His grip slackened.

"Ja," Pam responded with a nod finally succeeding in shrugging off his iron grip. "Vem är du?"

The vampire's close inspection of each other was cut short as Tara declared. "Move one more inch and I'll make you a pile of goo."

"Tara, no!" Sookie shouted as she stopped protectively in front of Eric. She was panting heavily having ran at top speed after the vampire.

"Get out of the way, Sook." Tara was undeterred.

"Tara, don't kill him," Sookie pleaded, still struggling to catch her breath.

"He tried to bite me, Sook!" Tara yelled. "Again!" she emphasized, cocking the hammer back on her gun. "He's a murdering asshole that thinks the sun rises and sets with him. He kept Lafayette locked up and tortured him in the basement of Fangtasia. He tricked you into drinking his blood and sold you out to Russell Edgington. How can you not agree that he deserves to die?"

"He's not going to hurt you anymore. He doesn't remember who he is," Sookie protested weakly.

"You're right, Sook. He's worse," Tara said, her finger squeezing the trigger slightly. "Eric's all the power and none of the restraint now."

"I won't let you," Sookie said firmly as she propelled herself into Eric's arms. Her head stopped just below his heart and she knew Tara would not risk shooting her just to end for the slight chance of killing a vampire. "He's good now."

"That still doesn't erase his history," Tara said softly but the gun in her hand wavered. "I know I'm gon' fucking regret this," she said and lowered the pistol to her side. "If he tries to eat me one more time I'll shoot him and pour acid on his remains no matter who's standing in the way," she said in warning as she tucked her gun in the waistband of her jeans.

"Thank you, Tara," Sookie said gratefully.

"Whatever," Tara said with a suck of her teeth. "So, you haven't seen him huh?" she asked, crossing her arms angrily. "Eric's been in that fucking cubby for the past three days am I right?"

"Sort of," Sookie said with a self-deprecating smile then she remembered the other vampire present. "Oh, Pam I'm sorry I couldn't keep him from wandering out of the house."

"Do I know you?" Pam asked plainly as she tried to rearrange her clothing into some resemblance of presentable.

Sookie turned to Tara, Jesus, and Lafayette. "You guys did another memory spell?" she asked incredulously.

"It was actually a counter spell to make Eric better but Pam became impatient with the results and broke the circle which caused her to lose her memory." Jesus explained from his position next to Lafayette.

Sookie closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath and exhaled it forcefully into one word, "Fuck."

"That was pretty much my sentiments," Tara said.

"Ditto, bitch," Lafayette said.

"Well, what do we do now?" Sookie asked, throwing up her hands in frustration.

"We can't try the spell again until tomorrow night," Jesus informed them, fingering the dog-eared page of the spell book he was still holding. "The moon must be at its highest peak before the incantation can be recited."

"We may as well get out of the cemetery before someone sees us," Sookie said and started the path back to her house.

Eric and Pam began following behind the humans. Eric glanced at Pam nervously.

"Why are you looking at me?" Pam whined, angling her body away from Eric. "Stop looking at me."

"I'm sorry about earlier," Eric said quietly, looking at her with soft, soulful eyes.

Pam looked away from him with a huff. "Well, I don't accept," she said, slapping him and speeding to the front of the group, stopping right beside Tara. "Hey there," She greeted the younger woman shyly.

"Hey," Tara said cautiously. She subtly shifted to walk closer to Sookie but soon realized the woman was having her own vampire problems.

"No, Eric. You cannot drink anyone in this group. Ever," Sookie said sternly to the Viking. "Promise me."

Eric looked very much like a puppy that was just bopped on the nose with a newspaper. His eyes swept longingly over the group of humans before he made eye contact with Sookie once more. "Okay," he said finally.

"Thanks, Sook," Tara whispered to her friend, knowing full well the vampires could hear every word.

"No problem," Sookie replied to her friend. She stopped and addressed the two vampires. "Now, I need _both_ of you to behave until we get your memories back."

"You got enough room for these two?" Tara asked, nodding to Eric and Pam.

"Well, Eric has his cubby." Sookie shrugged as she thought about it. "It's pretty spacious so I suppose they'll just have to share."

"What?" Pam squawked at the suggestion. "I'm not sharing anything with him." She looked at the older vampire with a look of disgust.

"He's your maker," Sookie stated bluntly.

"That's not fair! He's a jerkwad and I don't want to be anywhere near him." Pam said, crossing her arms over her chest and sulking.

"What's your malfunction, hookah?" Lafayette asked suddenly, having grown tired of Pam's whining.

Pam glared at Lafayette with her fangs bared almost as if she suddenly remembered the conversation they had in the freezer of Merlotte's, but it was fleeting. Her fangs retracted and her eyes cleared and softened to cluelessness once more. "I'm not staying with some girl that reeks like she's been bathing in honeyed cotton candy and a guy I hardly know," She said with a petulant stomp of her foot. "Why can't I stay with her?" she asked, turning mooning eyes to Tara.

Tara's response was quick, "I ain't got a house here."

Pam deflated slightly, a frown marring her face as she thought quickly. "Do I have a house?" she asked suggested, her eyes lit up as she though of a place where she and the attractive girl could be alone.

Everyone's eyes turned to Sookie. "Yeah, she has one in Shreveport but I don't know where it is."

"I do," Lafayette said quietly.

"Lala, can I speak to you for a moment?" Tara asked breezily with a saccharine grin settled onto her face. It obviously wasn't an actual question as she grasped her cousin's sleeve and dragged him away from the group. "What the fuck are you doing?" she whispered fiercely as low as she could. "I don't want to go babysit a vampire that has a hard on for me."

"I've seen Pam's house. It's nice as fuck with more electronics than Best Buy," Lafayette said with obvious excitement. "We could enjoy ourselves for the day while she's asleep. If you want we could even silver her as she sleeps if it'll make you feel better." When Tara just stared at him unconvinced in response, Lafayette barreled on. "Eric is eyeing you up like a four course meal so I'd stick close by Pam."

"She just got her ass handed to her and doesn't even fucking remember me," Tara countered plainly.

"Her pussy does, the same as Eric's dick became a divining rod for Sookie and if I was you, hookah I would most certainly be taking full advantage." Lafayette replied, nodding toward the vampires.

Tara glanced at the distracted vampires bickering in another language she suspected was Swedish. She sighed heavily. "I guess we should at least keep her alive. If Eric's memory is restored and we let Pam die we'll be his personal fuck toys until for the rest of our natural born lives." She rubbed the palms of her hands into her eyes roughly. "I know I'm gonna hate myself come morning," She mumbled tiredly and walked back to the group. "Hey, Sook. We're going to take Pam to her house. You okay dealing with Eric alone?"

"Yeah, at least I think so." Sookie glanced up the tall vampire. "You'll behave won't you Eric?"

"Yes," Eric said sincerely with a slow nod.

"Do it," Pam hissed at him, elbowing him sharply.

"I'm _your_ maker," Eric said testily. "I'm several hundred years your senior," he added lowly.

"Act like it," Pam answered quickly.

Eric leveled her with a ruminating stare. He nodded once more and walked toward Tara. The cage fighter's pistol was in his face so fast that he was mildly impressed by her reflexes. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was caught up in bloodlust and you smelled almost as good as Sookie. It won't happen again."

"Uh huh," Tara said unconvinced. "You'll pardon me if I don't believe you."

"I swear it," Eric said with finality.

"Okay," Tara said after a tense moments of silence, "I guess you're kinda forgiven," She replied begrudgingly. "At least until you do something else that make me wanna kill you." She put away her weapon once more and looked at Jesus who had been quieter than usual. "What's up with you?"

"This is just," Jesus shook his head, blowing out a breath exasperatedly. "The craziest October I think I've ever been apart of."

"It's gonna get worse before it gets better," Tara said, wishing she was wrong.

As if on cue, Sookie's cell phone rang out in the night air. "Ugh, it's Bill." She informed the group as she glanced at the display. "Hello? Of course I'm out, Bill. I am allowed to leave my house from time to time you know. Eric?" she said, peeking at the vampire in question. "No, I still haven't seen him. Pam told me he's gone missing." She repeated the lie she told Tara just yesterday. "No, you may not search my house! I finally got my privacy back. Bill, can we talk about this tomorrow night? Its nearly dawn and I've had a long night," Sookie said and ended the call despite Bill's very audible protests from the other line. "Well, that was fun," she stated with obvious sarcasm.

"What was that all about, Sook?" Tara asked.

"Pam had me promise not to get Bill involved in case this whole thing was just some big plot to kill Eric," Sookie said as if she was discussing the weather.

"Thank you," Eric said with a small genuine smile.

"You're welcome," Sookie replied with a grin of her own.

Tara rolled her eyes at their display while Lafayette glanced at his watch. "We got to go. There's only two hours of night left," He said.

Sookie tossed her head in the direction of her house. "We'll call tomorrow night and try the spell again."

"Yeah," Tara said with nod. "See you, Sook."

"I guess we should get her home," Jesus said, packing away the last of the spell candles.

Pam was at Tara's side in an instant with a bashful half smile. "Hey again," She said.

"You need a new line," Tara said unkindly already tired of the blue-eyed doe stare being directed at her. She walked toward Jesus' truck, trying to give the vampire a wide berth.

"What have I done to you?" Pam asked with a frustrated huff. "Why are you avoiding me like the Black Plague? Did we have that bad of a break up?" she asked innocently.

Tara froze midstep, her foot hovered in the air as her shoulders began to shake in laughter. "Me and you? Never gon'-"

"-Be able to get over it." Lafayette interjected quickly.

Tara's eyes shot to him with a glare that was so cruel he almost felt it like a physical blow. A callous smile emerged onto the young woman's face as she pivoted her body towards Lafayette. "Pam give us another second and don't listen in," she said distractedly as she dragged her cousin out of a respectable earshot. "What the fuck are you doing now? I agreed to take her home and maybe raid her refrigerator but I'm _not_ going to be playing Stepford wife to that psychopath."

"Do you really think telling a amnesiac vampire that she should want to kill us before take her back to her house with no witnesses is the best thing to do?" Lafayette asked his cousin quickly. "I'm telling you, bitch. Put that pussy to good use."

Tara shook her head violently. "Letting her think that we're exes is a _bad_, _bad_ idea."

They both took a moment to look at the vampire who was chatting animatedly with a slightly bewildered Jesus. When she felt Tara's gaze, a wide smile blossomed on her face.

"There are worse girlfriends to have," Lafayette pointed out.

Tara clinched her jaw tightly as she looked at the blonde, disgusted with herself for even considering it. "Fuck it. Fuck all of this. Let's drop her ass off at Sookie's and go the fuck back to your place."

"Tara…" Lafayette tried again.

"No, Lafayette. I'm not going to let you talk me into doing something else stupid."

"Well, you better go tell them," Lafayette said with an impatient wave of his hand.

"My pleasure," Tara said, nearly skipping back to the vehicle. "Jesus, go to Sookie's house," she said once she and Lafayette were settled into the car.

"What?" Pam breathed uneasily. "I thought we were going to my house?"

"No, Pam we aren't. See the thing is," Tara trailed off when she watched the vampire's face crumple with hurt and crimson tears welled up in her eyes. "Aw, hell," she groaned with a flinch as she watched a single droplet slip down a pale cheek. Vampires crying was a sight she still couldn't stand. It left her just as fearful and perplexed as it did when she watched Franklin sob over her. "Fuck me," she muttered through gritted teeth. "Never mind, Jesus, continue to Pam's house," she said with a defeated sigh. Even when the vampire wasn't terrifying she still got her way.

Tara nearly got whiplash at the swift change of emotions her words brought the vampire. The smile that lit up Pam's face was bright enough to sun to shame.

"Thank you!" She chirped happily, pulling Tara into a reluctant hug. The younger woman immediately stiffened as the scent of ginger and Orchids settled onto her senses. The vampire purred contently before a loud click sounded in the car. Tara jerked out of the embrace and fumbled for the gun at her hip.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Pam said in a rush with obvious embarrassment. "You just smell.." she inhaled deeply and a moan of pleasure escaped her throat. "You smell incredible," she whispered slowly, raking her eyes over Tara's frame hungrily. The younger woman had to swallow at the intense arousal being directed at her.

"We're almost there," Lafayette announced a little louder than necessary, effectively shattering through the two women's sexual tension.

Tara moved all the way to the edge of her seat, trying to become part of the door for the remainder of the car ride. All too soon, they pulled up to an illuminated beautiful two story ranch style home. The multicolored brick complimented the white wood trim perfectly. The manicured lawn was immaculate with a modest garden located on the left side of the house.

"Nice," Tara said with a low whistle.

"Told you," Lafayette said as Jesus stopped the car just outside of the garage.

"Are there any nosy neighbors we need to worry about?"

"Just the spinster across the street she glamoured to be," Lafayette replied flippantly.

"How awful! Why would someone do that? It takes away their free will," Pam said with a slight disgusted snarl on her lips.

"It's one of those special talents you like to throw around, Hookah," Lafayette said with a devious grin. He loved the look of abject horror that settled onto the vampire's face at his information.

"Lafayette, don't antagonize her just because she's not inclined to kill us outright. You have to remember she doesn't have the same level of control either." Jesus reminded his boyfriend gently and it took the smirk right off Lafayette's face.

"Fuck," Lafayette said. "Let's go inside before this car attracts too much attention."

They moved quickly to the front door where everyone looked at Lafayette expectantly. "What y'all bitches looking at?" He asked.

"We need the key," Tara said impatiently, pointing to the door.

"I don't have no fucking key," Lafayette responded at once.

Tara looked at him blankly. "I thought you said you've been here before?"

"I have but I don't have a standing invitation to brunch and Mimosas with the bitch," Lafayette said with his right hand perched on his hip. "I used to drop money off here once or twice when it was too dicey to bring it to Fangtasia. I've barely been past her front door."

"Fuck, Lala!" Tara shouted then quickly quieted. "Why didn't you say something earlier?" she hissed. "It's a little more than an hour before dawn and we have no way of getting into the house."

"What about a spare key?" Jesus suggested from behind the squabbling cousins.

Tara turned her attention to him. "I don't think Pam is gonna be the cute fake rock with the false bottom type."

"We could just try the windows," Jesus offered another idea, turning toward the closest one next to him.

"No, we can't do that," Tara said, grabbing his arm. "We're two African Americans and a Mexican in the suburbs trying to open windows on a nice house. The police will be here in three minutes flat."

"Hookah is right, baby," Lafayette agreed, looking over the structure.

"We're gonna need Pam to search all of her pockets," Jesus recommended, glancing toward his truck where the vampire was still seated.

"Did that outfit look like it could hold anything to you?" Tara asked the man.

Jesus was refusing to give up. Their time was quickly dwindling. "Would she have a purse or spare key at Fangtasia?"

Lafayette shook his head in the negative. "We don't have the time to back across Shreveport. We'd never make it back over here without a steaming pile of vampire goo in the backseat."

"Fuck me. Fuck me," Tara said, her mind conjuring up all the different scenarios in which Eric captures and tortures them for Pam's demise.

Pam blurred past them and the front door creaked open slowly.

"What did you do?" Tara asked firmly.

"I just tried the doorknob," Pam said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I thought about it and if I'm as cold and cruel as you say I am then there would be no point in locking my doors because no one would dare mess with me."

"Imagine that," Tara said bitingly as she glanced at her sheepish cousin.

He suddenly was all too pleased to take the lead in walking right into Pam's home. Jesus followed his lead with Tara and Pam bringing up the rear. The foyer lit up as soon as they stepped through the door and the crystal chandelier gleamed prettily.

Tara took in every style that made up Pam's home. She had to admit that it was a tastefully decorated home as she noted the expensive tables with equally pricey knick knacks and the perfectly varnished wooden accents along the wall. It seemed Pam had an affinity for dark cherry wood as it was a constant theme throughout the house as far as she could see.

Narrowing down Pam's home to one style was difficult for Tara as there was an odd mix of stark modern, European, and classic Southerner housewife working together seamlessly to reflect the mystery that was the vampire. The one detail that impressed her was the replica of a 1900s library in the living room.

The entire situation was just a bit surreal for the cage fighter. If someone had told Tara a week ago she'd be babysitting an amnesiac vampire in their own home she'd…probably have believed them. Right after she'd kicked said person's ass for wishing that fucked up shit into existence on her behalf of course.

"Oh my god!" Pam squealed behind them with a small clap of her hands. "I love it!" She vamp sped throughout the house, chattering excitedly.

"I suppose that's good because it _is_ your house." Tara countered blankly, eyeing the vampire warily. Even though she's only known the vampire for two days, a perky Pam was just plain creepy.

"That's right! It is!" Pam paused as if the thought suddenly occurred to her before speeding off again. "Has it ever been our home?"

"Pam, we need to talk about that," Tara called out to the vampire, ignoring the elbow to her side Lafayette gave her for her troubles.

"Yes, we do," Pam agreed, appearing at Tara's side. "Let me go get ready for bed and you can come up in twenty minutes or so." She suggested with a brilliant smile, grasping Tara's hand.

Tara twitched uncomfortably but did not pull away. "That's fine," she said vacantly.

"Aww, shucky, ducky now!" Lafayette exclaimed as soon as he heard the sound of a door closing upstairs. "Is that a play date I just witnessed being planned. You know what they say: First comes sucking, then comes love, then comes y'all bitches with a gaggle of progenies," he said excitedly with a snap of his fingers.

"Don't fucking start, asshole," Tara said with a glare that could melt steel. "It's not like that. I'm going upstairs to _talk_ and only talking will be going on."

"Mhm," Lafayette hummed noncommittally. The look on his face broadcasted that he was largely unconvinced.

"Why are you pushing this?" Tara asked as she walked into the living room and glanced over the titles of the shelf of books nearest her. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were rooting for me to get together with this fanger," She continued over her shoulder.

"I'm not gonna march in a fangbanger pride parade for you but I firmly believe in taking one for the team every once in awhile," Lafayette said, sitting on the couch beside Jesus. "Who knows if you rock her world, she may convince her maker to spare us when we get everything square."

"Uh huh and why aren't you taking one for the so-called team this time?"

"Believe me I would if I wasn't currently attached to my baby and queerer than a three dollar bill," Lafayette said, cuddling up to Jesus who was trying to figure out just how someone would need seven remote controls for their entertainment system.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm currently attached as well." Tara argued.

"_Toni_ is the one attached," Lafayette responded pointedly. "Tara is blissfully single and Pam wants to sample your chocolate."

Tara reached into her jacket pocket and snatched up the smashed pack of Marlboros. "I'm going outside for a smoke," she proclaimed to the room and walked outside, slamming the front door behind her.

**-x-**

Tara waited a full forty-five minutes before she finally decided she had stalled long enough. She came back into the house and ignored her cousin and his boyfriend as she made the trek upstairs toward Pam's bedroom. She found the door easily as it was the only one with a gold handle and light shining from beneath the door.

Even though she heard the vampire shuffling around inside, Tara knocked as delicately as human possible, hoping that Pam wouldn't hear it and eventually succumb to the call of dawn. As with most things, she was proven wrong when the vampire bade her a cheerful 'come in.'

"Uh, hey," Tara said as she awkwardly shuffled into the room. The first thing she thought as she walked into Pam's bedroom was that Disney must have throw up all over this room with the numerous shades of lilac and cream on every surface of the room. There was even a large ivory teddy bear on a side table located near the window. It looked like a bedroom for a modern day fairytale princess rather than the cold-blooded killer that sat just a few feet away.

"So, you're not asleep yet, huh?" Tara asked the vampire that was seated in front of her vanity, calmly brushing out her long fair locks.

"No, not yet though I really think I should be," Pam said tensely as she watched a trickle of blood drip down her earlobes. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at them daintily.

"That's the bleeds. I hear it happens when you ignore vital vampire things like feeding and _sleeping_," Tara emphasized firmly.

"Not yet," Pam said softly and stood, revealing the sheer coral negligee she was wearing. "Come here." She blurred to the edge of her bed and beckoned Tara with a crook of her finger. "Tell me something about us."

Tara swallowed as she tried in vain to shake away the images of the outline of the vampire's body before she moved reluctantly toward the bed. Apparently, a sense of self-consciousness didn't transfer over when the blonde lost her memories. She schooled her features as best she could when she sat down and glanced at the vampire looking so hopeful on her right and just sighed. She couldn't go through with this charade no matter what Lafayette said. "Pam we're not ex-girlfriends. We don't even like each other," She confessed.

"I figured," Pam replied with a thin smile.

"What do you mean you 'figured'? Tara asked.

"You and Lafayette are not as great at lying as you think you are. And every time I move towards you." Pam's hand lifted to Tara's face, watching in mild disappointment as the younger woman flinched. "You shy away," the blonde finished unnecessarily. "I've either mistreated you horribly before all of this or you've had bad experiences with vampires," she deduced quietly.

Tara looked away instantly and clenched her jaw. She loathed the fact that somehow Pam had the ability to see through her. "You don't know shit about me," she spat and stood, putting a little distance between them and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm guessing it's the latter," Pam said gently, coming to stand beside Tara. Her hand hovered in the small space between them. "I know we that we don't have a past together but that doesn't mean we can't have a future."

Tara whirled around, glowering at the vampire. "Me and you, Pam. It's never gon' happen. Ever." The younger woman punctuated her statement with a shove to the vampire's shoulder.

"Why not?" Pam pressed a hand to her shoulder as if it was injured. "There's something between the two of us. I know you feel it."

"The only thing I _feel_ is the hate of a thousand suns for you and your douchebag of a maker," Tara spat, her eyes glittering in anger.

Pam's response came on the heels of Tara's proclamation, "There's a thin line between love-"

Tara held up a hand to forestall the rest of Pam's sentence. "Don't start with that bullshit. Love is not the opposite of hate. The only true opposite to hate is apathy," she said, marching toward the door. "You don't know a goddamn thing. You're only lusting after my blood like a junkie for cocaine and mistaking it for love," she continued over her shoulder.

"I don't think you believe that at all." Pam flashed across the room, pinning Tara to the door. Her fangs slipped down as she held the other woman close. When Tara drew a breath of apprehension Pam was unexpectedly back on the other side of the room. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," she apologized sincerely with her head bowed as she tried desperately to put her fangs away.

Tara shook her head with an icy grin. "It's just who you are."

"I'm not that vampire anymore," Pam insisted, walking around her four poster bed and quickly crossing the room. She ignored Tara's tense posture and pulled the younger woman close by a firm hold of her hips. The blonde's eyes traced each detail of Tara's face before lingering on her lips. Tara reflected her action unconsciously as her staccato of warm breaths washed across Pam's face.

Pam leaned in just a fraction more and paused, searching in orbs of liquid chocolate for consent. Their lips nearly met when Pam's connected with a soft but calloused palm.

Tara shook her head slowly. "What are you doing?" she breathed carefully.

"I thought I was kissing you," Pam replied, a little confused against Tara's hand.

Tara snatched her hand away from those plump lips. "That can't happen."

"Why not? Are you still going to deny that you feel something other than hate for me?"

"I have a girlfriend," Tara blurted out as her hands groped the doorknob behind her. She pulled the door opened when a tentative hand grasped her shoulder.

"I can be the person you need in your life. I can show you that not all vampires are the same," Pam said, squeezing Tara's shoulder in an attempt to stall her exit if only for a little while.

"In my opinion, fangers are usually worse than you can imagine. I'm not interested in a pathetic excuse of a lovesick bleach blonde bimbo vampire," Tara said cruelly as she refused to turn around. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we turn you back into the wicked bitch of the west," she said and stumbled through the door, slamming the door behind her.

Tara's heart raced from an emotion she refused to label. She leaned against the door for support and let out a shaky breath. She could still feel Pam's intense stare on her through the door and it unnerved her more than she could say. 'Talking' with amnesiac Pam left her more confused than her verbal duels with regular Pam. The anger and distrust was old hat for Tara and she came by it honestly. After dealing with the up and down behavior of her mother's nightly talks with Jack Daniels, Jose Cuervo, and Jim Beam, she slipped on indignation like a second skin.

Insults were an automatic rhythm she and Pam had fallen into seamlessly as if their very essence had recognized each other as admirable opponents. She hated herself for ever coming back to Bon Temps. She hated herself for lying to Naomi all these months. She hated herself the most for allowing a sneaking attraction for Pam to weasel its way inside her loins, not that she'd ever admit it to anyone.

If she had anything to say about it she'd be wrapping up this vampire clusterfuck by tomorrow night and be on the road by the very first light of dawn even if she had to suck down twelve Full Throttles to achieve it. Tara tapped her finger to a nonsensical rhythm against the wall as she walked downstairs.

"She got any booze in this house?" Tara asked just as soon as she saw Lafayette bent over inspecting Pam's refrigerator.

Lafayette shook his head apologetically. "Jesus went to the liquor store not too long ago. The bitch only has aged blood in here."

"What liquor store is open at," Tara looked at her cell phone for the time. "Five thirty in the morning?"

"Jesus said he knows a place in the backwoods," Lafayette said with a shrug. He pulled out a jar of pickles and checked the expiration date before helping himself.

"Right. I'm going to call Naomi. Text me when he gets back." Tara hit the first button on her speed dial and waited for her girlfriend to pick up. She frowned when the phone just rand and rang, eventually going to voicemail.

'_Hey you've reached Naomi-' _

Tara ended that call and looked her phone in confusion. Naomi always answered when Tara called unless she's in the middle of a Mixed Martial Arts match and at five thirty-five in the morning it was unlikely that that was the case. She thought about sending a text message and just going back into the living room to wait for Jesus but abruptly cancelled that line of thought. She needed some sort of stability in this chaos and Naomi was it.

She pressed the call button once more and waited. This time Naomi answered on the first ring. "Hey."

"Hey." Her girlfriend responded in a dull voice but Tara didn't notice.

"How are you?" Tara asked.

"I've been better," Naomi responded. The strange tone finally registered to Tara.

"Did something happen? What's wrong?" Tara frowned, ducking into the guest bathroom located under the stairs. She was unsurprised to find it bigger than her first motel room outside of Dallas.

"Nothing. Just missing you," Naomi answered quickly.

Tara paused. Some in Naomi's voice was giving her an odd feeling that she couldn't shake. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, how are the funeral arrangements coming?" Naomi asked with forced cheer.

Tara was a little surprised at how smooth the lie flowed from her lips. "No one can agree on the burial site so it may take a little longer than I originally thought."

"How much longer?" Naomi asked with an edge to her voice.

"It shouldn't be much longer than a few more days. Maybe three at the most." Tara reclined on the petite burgundy settee positioned cattycorner in the room, tossing her feet over the edge.

"How about I come out to Atlanta for support?" Naomi queried softly.

"That's not necessary," Tara responded quickly. "I don't want to subject you to this craziness."

"I know crazy," Naomi protested. "I have a family of my own you know."

Tara chuckled. "This is a brand spanking new fucked up kind of crazy than you're used to, Naomi. Trust me."

"If you insist," Naomi said unconvinced.

"I do," Tara replied softly and griped the phone tightly. She would love for Naomi to be here with her for support but that was opening up a big bag of bullshit that was already fit to burst. "So how much did you miss me?" her voice suddenly took on a low, husky quality.

Naomi giggled. "Are you serious right now?"

"Very. Unless you just want to think about me taking care of myself," Tara told her girlfriend as she popped the button to her jeans open. Maybe a few sounds would help get this conversation flowing in the right direction.

"I think at least for the moment perhaps you should." Naomi teased before the odd inflection entered her voice again. "Or…you could get your other girlfriends to handle it for you."

I don't have another girlfriend, Naomi." Tara rested her phone between her neck and shoulder and buttoned her jeans. She sat up and slouched at the end of the settee. "Where the fuck is this coming from now?"

A thick, unnerving silence reigned on the other end until Naomi finally said, "Toni, Where are you really?"

Tara felt a chilling sensation grip her heart. "I'm in Atlanta for my grandmother's funeral. I told you that before I left, remember? We just finished discussing this."

"And you're telling the complete truth to me?" Naomi asked solemnly.

"Yes! Is this still about the phone thing? If you want when I come home we can switch phones for a week and you'll see that I'm not cheating on you," Tara offered sincerely.

Tara could practically hear Naomi rolling her eyes through the phone. "Right, you think I'm stupid, Toni. You could just erase anything damning. You're going to have three days to do it."

Tara sighed. "Naomi…"

"Who the fuck is Tara Thornton, Toni?" Naomi blurted out.

The blood drained from Tara's face and the hold on her heart released, permitting the muscle to beat at double time. She felt lightheaded and disconnected with her body as she realized that she had been holding her breath. She inhaled quickly, dimly realizing Naomi was repeatedly calling her name.

"Toni, answer me!" The other woman demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Tara asked dumbly.

"I found some mail the other day while I was cleaning up." Naomi revealed.

"You've been going through my shit?" Tara asked slack-jawed.

"I've been going through _our_ shit." Naomi challenged bluntly.

"Tara Thornton is no one," Tara responded, deciding that it would probably be best to answer the first question instead of avoiding it. "It's just wrong mail that I never got a chance to get rid of."

Naomi scoffed loudly. "That excuse is so fucking flimsy."

"Look, it's not an excuse," Tara protested half-heartedly, fisting the hair at her temple.

"I'm coming to Bon Temps tomorrow."

"Y-you can't do that," Tara choked out hurriedly.

"Why not?" Naomi asked innocently. "I miss you and it's where you are right?"

"Okay, Naomi this is something that really shouldn't be done over the phone so maybe we should talk about it when you get here." Tara conceded to her fate as she prepared to get off the phone.

Naomi shot down that idea immediately. "No, let's get it out now. Lord knows I haven't been able to get you to share so far. I don't want you to change your mind before I get there."

"The truth is I hate Bon Temps. I hate everything it's done to me all my life and I wanted to just fucking bury it." Tara fidgeted with the material of her jeans, wishing she could have a cigarette. "I've felt the judgmental stares and heard the faux sympathetic whispers everyday. 'Poor Tara Thornton. She gon' end up just like her mama.' Drunk. Crazy. Alone. After everything that happened last year, I was full of self pity and fucking hatred." She sighed heavily. "I just left."

"So you ran away from your problems and thought it wouldn't catch up with you? What exactly did you would happen when someone gave a shit enough to know more about you?" Naomi questioned lowly in disbelief.

"I didn't think. I just wanted to be gone like a fucking ghost." Tara lips quirked in a cheerless grin. "I can't tell you how good it felt I could do anything and be anybody. I've done more in this past year and a half than I have my whole twenty-seven years of life."

"And who was the woman I've been living with and telling my secrets to?" Naomi asked.

"That was Toni." Tara sighed again, letting her head fall into the palm of her left hand. "Toni was everything I wish I could be. I thought if I could get you to believe in her then I could too."

"Fuck you Tara Thornton! How dare you play with my emotions!" Naomi yelled, her voice cracking at the end of her exclamation.

"It wasn't a game," Tara objected. She stood and paced the small space quickly. "What I felt and still feel for you is real."

"You're not even real," Naomi spat angrily. "I'm still coming to Bon Temps and it's not for closure. I'm gonna kick your ass all up and down that Podunk town."

"I'll accept that ass whippin' I deserve it but you can't come out here. At least not now," Tara said, really wishing this talk had been done in person. "I have vampires out to kill me and-"

"You better hope they get to you first because you're gonna be in a world of hurt," Naomi said and ended the call.

"Naomi? Naomi!" Tara yelled into the phone. She immediately redialed her ex-girlfriend and the call went straight to voicemail. "Fuck!" she yelled, lifting her phone in the air and resisting the urge to throw it at the wall.

Lafayette stood in the doorway. "Trouble in paradise?"

"A large steaming pile of shit just hit an industrial sized fan," Tara replied, letting her head fall forward with a thud against the table. "I wish it was _just_ trouble," she muttered.

"I heard Jesus pull into the driveway before your shout, so come into the next room, have a few drinks and tell Mama what's wrong." Lafayette cooed, pulling Tara into his arms.

"I don't want to drink. I just want to go to sleep." Tara complained weakly as she shrugged from his embrace.

"I sent him for ice cream too," Lafayette offered, knowing it was Tara's guilty pleasure.

Tara crossed her arms petulantly as she looked away. "I'm not hungry."

Lafayette blinked owlishly. "You're turning down free drinks and ice cream? This must be serious."

"Naomi found out who I really am." Tara straightened her arms and glared at her phone as if it was the cause of her situation. She pressed the home button to illuminate the screen although she knew there would be no messages from Naomi.

"Oh, Tara baby," Lafayette said sympathetically. "You knew it was only a matter of time."

"That's just it, Lala. I was preparing to tell her right after this trip." Tara shrugged as she chuckled miserably. "I know it's only been six months but I really want to try and go for the long haul with her."

Lafayette studied his cousin. "You love her?"

Tara paused, thinking it over. "I think I do." She sat down on the stairs and gazing at the floor as if it held all her answers.

"I'm sorry about how this went down. I know this wasn't the most opportune time, babygirl." Lafayetted settled down next to her.

"You got that shit right," Tara said with a nod of her head. "I'm having near death experiences left, right, and center while dodging the affections of an amnesiac vampire lusting after me. Life's a bitch."

"That she is," Lafayette agreed. "How did your one on one go with our favorite rabid Princess Peach?"

"I told her the truth." Tara stated plainly. She paused and waited for her cousin to overreact like always.

Lafayette pointed a finger at her with narrowed eyes. "Hookah, I warned you about that."

"Chill, bitch," Tara said with a wave of her hand. "She was cool wit' it and she'd already figured out that we were lying through our teeth."

"Never accused the bitch of being dumb," Lafayette responded with a shrug.

"I'm just hoping that maybe all this shit will be settled by the end to tomorrow night so I can get back to my life." Tara flipped her phone over in her hands before deciding to put it in her pocket. There was nothing that could be done about her situation tonight.

"Amen sister," Lafayette said with enthusiasm and nudged Tara's shoulder. "Come on, hookah. Feel sorry for yourself later. It's time to get white boy wasted." He stood, pulling Tara into the living room where Jesus had arranged an assortment of junk food on the coffee table, facing Pam's large screen television.

As soon as, Tara entered the room she froze and stared intently at the television as if it beckoned to her.

Jesus was looking at news story on CNN that held a gruesome scene of slaughtered people and animals in Jerusalem and sipping from a Mike's Hard Lemonade. He shook his head in disgust and hit a button on the remote interrupting the news reporter mid-sentence. "She's got Netflix," he announced with delight, placing his bottle back on the coffee table next to a bag of Cheetos.

"What the hell is that, boyfriend?" Lafayette demanded, pointing to the glass bottle as if it personally offended him with its presence.

"I've got another early shift so I'm drinking light tonight," Jesus said with nodding to the unopened bottle on the opposite side of the cheese doodles. "I'm giving myself a two drink maximum."

"להאכיל," Tara hissed lowly, her face blank and gaze devoid of emotion.

"What was that?" Jesus asked in confusion.

Tara shook her head, finally breaking free of the spell the television seemed to have over her. "I was just saying that we'll let you slide this time but when all this shit is settled you're drinking yourself stupid with us if you have to call out to do it," Tara said with mock sternness, lifting the bottle of Jameson from the table.

"Yes, ma'am," Jesus replied with a strained smile but decided not to question her odd behavior. "How'd the talk with Pam go?"

Tara poured the whiskey into a crystal glass located on Pam's mini bar in the corner of the room. She took a sip of the liquid, savoring the flavor. "Goddamn that's good." She breathed happily. "And I really don't wanna talk about it anymore, Jesus."

Lafayette took it upon himself to inform his boyfriend of Tara's predicament. "Asian persuasion found out about Tara's rural past and Pam's hard on has turned romantic."

"Wow." Jesus looked blankly between his boyfriend and Tara. "I'm sorry." He offered finally to the young woman.

Tara shrugged it off. "Nah, it's a'ight. I'm gonna work through this and come out the other side. The only question is: Am I gonna do it alive or dead?"

"Hookah, don't talk like that. Just drink and stop being a fucking buzzkill. Let's do some shots," Lafayette declared, lining up two rows of shot glasses on the already cluttered table.

"Of what?" Tara eyed her cousin warily. She did not want to fall victim to any of the his made up concoctions. She did not want to fall victim to the effects of Four Loko again.

"Pick your poison," Lafayette said, sweeping his arm in the direction of the table like a model on the Price is Right. "And I'm taking Jameson off the table."

"Fine, but I'm finishing my drink," Tara insisted, sipping the whiskey slowly. "Good stuff." She repeated.

**-x-**

A loud knock jolted Tara from her slumber. With a snort, she rolled from the couch and onto the floor. Groping the floor for her pants, Tara hoped she could locate her gun before whoever was knocking on the door got impatient and decided to let themselves in. She stopped searching when her sleep addled brain supplied her with the fact that she'd left her weapon in Jesus' truck.

"Fuck," Tara groaned, moving across the floor and grabbing an iron fire poker. She inched toward the door and wondered who could be knocking on Pam's door in the daytime.

"Hello! Is there anybody in there? I'm looking for Tara Thornton."

Tara paused at the door and questioned herself on the merits of opening the door to yet another person that was threatening her life. She sighed and decided it was an unavoidable confrontation that needed to happen.

"You found her," Tara announced blandly as the door opened, revealing Naomi and the late afternoon's sun on the other side.

"I guess I have unless you have another alter ego I should be aware of?" Naomi asked barging past Tara and standing in the foyer. "How many identities do you have?"

"Just the two." Tara closed the door and took a moment to replace the poker.

"Do you make it a habit to sleep with weapons when you're in Bon Temps?" Naomi asked with a lift of her eyebrow as she followed Tara into the other room.

"It's a long complicated ass story," Tara muttered as she scanned the living room, searching for her pants. She found them on an armchair neatly folded along with her cell phone. Checking the device, she found a text message from Lafayette informing her about Naomi's call and giving a time to meet them in the cemetery.

"Well, you started telling me the truth, no need to go back to lying now," Naomi said settling on the couch. "Whose house is this?" she asked as she looked around her surroundings.

"That's part of the long ass story," Tara said as she slipped into her jeans and plopped down on the chair behind her.

"You need to start talking," Naomi demanded with a cross of her arms.

"Can you let me go to the bathroom and wake up a little?" Tara asked with a yawn that cracked her jaw. "I've had a long night, not to mention a long couple of days and besides we got some time to kill before we gotta clear out of here."

Naomi shook her head angrily. "No, tell me now. You're not putting this off again. I've already waited six months and five hours."

"Then five minutes won't kill you while I go pee." Tara grumbled as she revisited the guest bathroom from last night despite Naomi's protest.

After she finished reliving herself, Tara took a moment to give herself a good look in the mirror. Besides the dark circles around her eyes, she was stunned to discover that she looked the same as she did yesterday. She expected a new person to be looking back at her, branded with the repulsiveness of her lies and deceit but her mahogany hued skin looked as flawless as it always had. Too flawless, in fact, it almost glowed. Now she really studied the dark skin, her eyes trailing over every inch looking for anomalies.

"Hey, you done in there?" Naomi called impatiently from the other room.

"Yeah, here I come." Tara looked away from her reflection, washed her hands quickly, and left the tranquility of the bathroom for the oppressive atmosphere she had created for herself. "How did you even find me?" she asked, closing the bathroom door behind her.

"I called your phone and your cousin answered." Naomi answered, looking at Tara expectantly.

"Right," Tara said with a roll of her eyes. "Fucking Lafayette," She muttered under her breath. "Fine, you want the whole story, here it goes. This all started when I go into town." She began.

Naomi just stared at Tara when she finished her tale. "That's one hell of a story."

"I wouldn't believe half of it if I haven't lived it and experienced the fucked up situations that Bon Temps seems to attract week after week." Tara stood, walking into the kitchen. She found a glass of now lukewarm water and two Ibuprofen sitting on the counter and sent a silent thanks to Jesus who she was positive was responsible for the considerate act.

"I want you to know I'm still pissed," Naomi said as she strode forward. "I still feel betrayed and violated and everything in me is screaming for me to kick your ass." She intoned lowly. Her breath brushing the back of Tara's just a second before her lips brushed over the skin in a heated caress. Her arms encircled the shorter woman's waist as she pulled her close.

Tara was unable to stop herself from relaxing in the familiar embrace as Naomi's right hand slipped into her hair and tenderly kneaded her scalp. The massage dulled the slight pounding behind her eyes while wet kisses sent delightful tingles up and down her body, forcing out a pleasurable groan. Suddenly, tan fingers fisted and jerked Tara's head back sharply. Tara hissed in pain then choked when Naomi's other hand came up from her waist to strangle her firmly.

Reacting on instinct she didn't realize she had, Tara spun on her heel, dragging Naomi with her. She slammed into the counter forcing her back into her girlfriend's front and winding the taller woman easily. The hands holding Tara slackened and she took that time to strike. She reached up fisting Naomi's jacket and flipped the other woman. Tara followed the descent to the ground, pinning Naomi to the floor with a chokehold of her own.

Tara panted vaguely aware that the surge of adrenaline she was experiencing got right of her headache for good. There was faint echoing of a snake's rattler being shaken in the back of her mind but chocked it up to the pounding of blood in her ears giving her audible hallucinations.

"What the hell?" Naomi gurgled. "Have you been holding out on me?"

"I must have been holding out on myself." Tara stood smoothly, offering her hand to Naomi. "'Cuz I don't know where that came from."

"You okay?" Naomi asked, grabbing the proffered hand and standing.

Tara glanced at the other woman and decided at the last second not to tell her what she meant. "I'm better now that my ex-girlfriend isn't trying to kill me."

Naomi looked startled at the Tara bestowed upon her. "I never said you were my ex."

"If this is your way of saying you want to take things to the next level, your method sucks," Tara informed her.

Naomi didn't look the least bit ashamed with her actions. "I was still angry. I had to do something with the energy."

"We could have had make up sex," Tara said exasperatedly.

"We still can," Naomi said, running her hands across Tara's chest.

"Not now. We have to vacate," Tara said, gently gripping the Naomi's hands. "So, do you still want to see this Podunk town?"

Naomi nodded. "Show me all your old haunts. Where you went to school. Your favorite ice cream shop. The tree where you got your first kiss."

"Alright," Tara said with a small easy smile. She glanced outside then towards the staircase nervously. "It'll be dusk soon so let's go. I gotta go met my cousin and his boyfriend at midnight for the second crack at that damn spell."

Naomi grabbed her abandoned car keys and walked through the front door being held open for her. "Wait, are you going to lock the door?"

"Nah, it's a nice neighborhood and the owner will be awake soon enough." Tara shrugged as she climbed into the faded blue truck in Pam's driveway. "What's first on this grand trek through my past?" she asked, starting the ignition.

"I'm giving you the reigns on this one," Naomi replied lifting her hands in surrender.

"Bon Temps High School here we come," Tara said to no one in particular as she backed out of the yard and driving away from the setting sun.

**-x-**

Before long, they arrived at a humble sized school building with tan colored bricks. The metal of the roof and trim was a pasty and peeling jade. Tara pulled into the parking lot and continued past the main building to a diminutive structure in the back of the school next to a large dumpster.

"This is my old high school," Tara said as she parked. She reached across the small space for the glove compartment and grabbed the flashlight sitting on top of the car insurance information. "Let's go in."

"You want to go in, now?" Naomi asked, looking at the darkness through the windows.

"Nope, let's leave and come back when all the kids are running around getting into shit." Tara said sarcastically, pressing the button to illuminate the flashlight. "Come on. We'll try my old entrance I used to escape my mom and if I can't pry the door open then we'll just go on to the memorial library where I spent a lot of my time."

"Alright," Naomi agreed and followed Tara outside. She walked around the building, where a sign identified it as the cafeteria, to a tiny window beside a padlocked door.

Tara nudged the window with the bottom end of the flashlight and grinned when it creaked open slowly. She raised herself as tall as she could but couldn't get the leverage to climb inside. "Hand me that bucket." She pointed to a dingy mop bucket next to the dumpster.

Naomi glanced at the item in disgust before she turned back to her girlfriend. "Are we gonna get in trouble?"

"For breaking into this low funded piece of shit school? Nah, we'd probably be doing them a favor," Tara said with a chuckle. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"It comes and goes with the prospect of spending a night in jail being someone's bitch," Naomi deadpanned.

"You'd never willingly be someone's bitch. You'd fight until the very end." Tara sighed and lowered herself off of her tiptoes. "You still want to see the spot where I got my first kiss?"

"Sure," Naomi said.

"We'll need to go to the football field," Tara said, shining the flashlight across the parking lot. They walked until they reached a pocket of seclusion underneath the bleachers away from the view of the street and the rest of the campus. "Here it is." She swept her arm out in front of her. "This is where most of the high school came to make out and cop a few feels" she said as she walked over to an unfinished patch of wooden fence and trailed her fingers along its grain gently until she found the markings she left nearly twelve years ago. "I was here carving my initials into the fence hoping one day Jason Stackhouse would look at me twice."

Naomi nodded then frowned. "I thought Jason was your brother?"

"Nope, I'm an only child," Tara said wistfully.

"So, who is or was Jason?" Naomi asked, needing clarification.

"Jason is my best friend, Sookie's, older brother." Tara explained.

Naomi's eyes lit up as she chuckled at Tara. "Oh my God, the crush on your friend's older brother. You are so cute."

"I ain't cute," Tara huffed out, flicking some dirt from under her fingernails as she looked away. "I was young and dumb and desperately wanting someone to pay attention to me, to see the real me despite all the attitude." She crossed her arms and hugged herself stiffly. "Jason was nice enough to me, but it was mostly because I was his kid sister's best friend," she said, leaning against the fence. "Sookie was the one who was better at nabbing the limelight. No matter how many clubs or organizations I joined. I went out for the debate team, the basketball team and the honor society hoping for a little more recognition. I always faded into the background though. Everytime."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Naomi said, placing a hand on Tara's arms in comfort. "So, I take it that Jason wasn't your first kiss?" she assumed.

Tara chuckled cynically. "Ironically enough my first kiss was Sookie. She saw my pining for her brother and found me under here one day with my pocket knife about to carve into more than the fence and she stopped me." She paused suddenly and looked into the distance as if the memory was playing out right in front of her. "Sookie told me that boys tended to have thick heads when it came to the girls they should be paying attention to and that sometimes we needed to take care of ourselves until a good one comes along."

"And then she just laid one on you?" Naomi guessed.

"Yeah, she kissed me full on the lips and although it was a friendly kiss, it was the first time since my dad kissing me goodbye that someone gave me a kiss full of love." Tara kicked off the fence and started walking back to the truck.

"I can't imagine you waiting until a good one comes along." Naomi glanced at the other woman once she'd settled into the car.

"I've always been just a bit more proactive than Sook but sometimes patience is a good thing," Tara said, grabbing Naomi's hand gently before maneuvering the car out of the parking lot. "Let's go to our final stop."

"There really isn't much to this town is there?" she asked watching the odd residential neighborhood go by in a flash of colors and tacky houses.

"Nope," Was Tara's only response.

"What do you do for fun out here?" Naomi asked genuinely curious.

"I don't know what normal people do for fun anymore because it's never really a dull moment when your best friend has love triangles with vampires, shifters, and werewolves," Tara said lightly as she turned down a dirt road.

"That must have made for a pretty interesting life."

"All this drama didn't happen until after the vampires came out of the coffin oddly enough." Tara squinted her eyes in thought. She shook her head slightly and glanced at her girlfriend. "Just so you don't feel slighted about the tour, the next stop is also my favorite ice cream shop right after raiding Sookie's freezer. My cousin sometimes prepares homemade ice cream just like grandma used to make for the lunch and dinner crowds," she explained.

When they stopped, Naomi looked out the window and watched a few people milling about coming in and out of a bar. The country music blaring through open door added to the rural ambience. "Did we just take a trip to 1989 just to visit the Double Deuce?" she asked with a small laugh.

"The who now?"

"Don't tell me you've never seen "Roadhouse"?" Naomi eyed the other woman in disbelief.

Tara nodded her head in recognition. "You're not funny you know that."

Naomi opened the door and exited the truck. "That's not true. I've been told I'm hilarious."

"By stupid people." Tara responded playfully. She took Naomi's hand in her own as they made the trek to Merlotte's. She opened the door and swept her hand out in a grand gesture. "And the very last stop on the Bon Temps City tour is the dump I used to work at: Merlotte's Bar and Grill. Serving up craziness seven days a week." She continued as if that was the bar's actual tagline.

"It suits you," Naomi said, taking in the décor. It really did look like someone took the bar from "Roadhouse" combined it with a Waffle house and added hot sauce but it had its own small town charm and a lot less neon which she could appreciate.

"You know that ain't a compliment, right?" Tara looked at her girlfriend as they strolled across the bar.

"Why not?" Naomi grinned slightly. "It looks comfortable and friendly." She pointed out.

"Don't be fooled," Tara warned teasingly as she reveled in the scandalized whispers and shocked stares. She reached out and landed a swift smack to Naomi's ass with glee.

Naomi let out a whoop and giggle in delight at her girlfriend's friskiness as they sat at the nearest both.

Tara grinned at the shock of crimson hair peeking over the short wall above Naomi's head. Her face fell when she realized it not Arlene but Jessica coming to their table to greet them. "Isn't this Arlene's section?" she asked nastily as she glared at the vampire. She didn't appreciate the odd look she was getting from the vampire but she was determined not to let it ruin her night.

"Yeah, but Arleen and Holly both called in," Jessica replied unfazed by Tara's unfriendly attitude. "Sam promoted me to server and y'all are my first customers." She finished with a proud smile before it slowly melted off her face. Her fangs popped and she retracted them a split second later, clamping her mouth shut in embarrassment.

Tara decided it was best not to comment on the vampire's odd behavior. "Yippie." She apathetically twirled her finger in mock celebration but she found her wrist caught in a firm grip. She pulled with all her might

"Have you done something different lately? Your blood… it smells almost better than Sookie's." Jessica breathed out eerily as her fangs dropped down once more. The vampire's head snapped up and she looked toward the window just before she became a blur leaving dispelled air in her wake.

"The fuck?" Naomi asked immediately, looking back and forth between the space Jessica had once occupied and Tara.

"Told you," Tara said, feeling very vindicated as she rubbed her now sore wrist. "We ain't even been here five minutes."

"Are you okay?" Naomi questioned, nodding to the area Tara was currently rubbing.

"I'm fine. I don't bruise easily," Tara waved off the concern. "Imma go see if I can rustle up some food for us." She stood, walking into the kitchen. Terry had the music cranked up, trying his best to keep up with all the orders streaming forth from the servers. "Yo, Terry!"

"Hey there, Tara," Terry said with a wave of his spatula. "Welcome back to town. Sorry I can't talk right now." He flipped a couple of burgers and hurried across the floor to check on a batch of fries.

Tara paused in the kitchen. "It's fine. I'm just looking for Sam."

"Uh, I think he's in his office." Big John called out, wiping the sweat from his brow on his forearm.

"Thanks!" Tara called out and took one of the side doors out of the kitchen that led to Sam's office. She knocked on the door. "Sam, you in there?" she called out and opened the door. "We really need to talk about your choices in employees." She stepped forward and paused as she realized she'd just interrupted a conversation between Sam and an extremely attractive tanned woman. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt y'all." She added quickly.

"It's fine, Tara. This is Luna." Sam nodded to the woman on his left. "Luna, this is Tara Thornton. She used to be one of my best bartenders when she wasn't pissing off the customers too bad."

"Fuck you, Sam." Tara stepped forward and extending her right hand while hooking her left thumb toward the man. "I'm one of this asshole's friends."

Luna glanced at Sam sideways. "So, you do have friends other than us," she said, shaking Tara's hand.

"You assumed I didn't?" Sam placed a hand to his chest dramatically. "I'm wounded."

"I was for a little while there," Luna teased lightly.

"So, you needed to talk about my employees?" Sam questioned, turning to Tara.

"Yeah, fucking Jessica took off in the middle of taking our order." Tara complained with a roll of her eyes.

"What? I've only got three servers now. Shit." Sam turned apologetic eyes to the other woman. "Luna, I'm going to have to take a rain check."

"It's fine. When you get some free time come and visit me," Luna said and took her exit.

"Well, well, well," Tara drawled with a smirk. "Look who's been getting some hot action on the side."

"There's been no hot action. We're barely dating," Sam defended as he looked longingly at the door.

Tara decided to give her friend a break. "She's interested Sam, trust me. Just be a little patient. She's holding back on something but she looks willing to let you in."

"You think so?" Sam asked, glancing at Tara's warily.

"Yup, take it from someone who's had that look on her face many times," Tara said softly.

"No sadness," Sam proclaimed as he clapped a hand on Tara's back. "Come on let's see if I can get you some dinner. Don't tell anyone but I've got an in with the owner," He whispered conspiratorially.

"Oh yeah? I hear he's kind of a douche," Tara said with a straight face.

Sam nudged Tara slightly. "Just for that you're getting an extra large bowl of chili from Big John."

"Ugh, I'd rather suck on the bar rag," Tara said with a disgusted face. "Sam, why do you let him make the chili? He's a terrible cook."

"He's good at other things, chili just ain't his thing," Sam said with an arm slung over Tara's shoulder.

They walked back to her booth where they found Naomi being harassed by an obvious very drunk and very stupid redneck. Tara recognized him as one of the men at the bar eyeing her and Naomi with a bit too much interest when they first walked in.

"Yer purdy," he slurred out with a belch. "How's about ya come home wit me 'stead of that colored bitch. I could sho you what a real mans got ta offer."

Naomi looked at his blushed face and red tinted eyes without flinching. "I wouldn't spit in your direction if you were the last man on Earth and I needed your sorry, needled dick ass to save my own life."

The redneck's face became an ugly shade of plum as his arm shot out and snatched Naomi up by the forearm. "That's the wrong answer cunt," he growled out loudly.

The man was gaining the attention of the whole bar and Sam decided to interfere. The shifter started toward them hoping to stop Earl from hurting the poor woman when Tara grabbed him by the sleeve.

"Wait, Sam," Tara said with a secretive smile. "I want to see how this plays out."

"What-?" Sam began to ask but movement out of the corner of his eye got his attention.

Naomi twisted her wrist free of Earl's hold and kneed him right in the groin. The burly trucker bellowed like a wounded moose and dropped to his knees, cupping himself protectively.

"You yella Chink bitch!" He yelled up at her.

Naomi spun on her heel, landing a roundhouse kick to his temple, knocking him out cold.

Tara grinned proudly, coming to stop next to the woman. "I see you're getting along with the locals."

"You did leave me alone," Naomi responded with a shrug. "I got bored."

"She a friend of yours?" Sam asked from behind Tara.

"You could say that," Tara answered cryptically. "Sam, this is my girlfriend Naomi Lim. Naomi this is Sam Merlotte."

"Girlfriend?" Sam questioned thickly before he fell silent.

Tara raised an eyebrow at the man. "Yeah, Sam. My girlfriend." She felt her hackles tingle in awareness of a potential fight and she welcomed the old armor like a familiar lover.

It only took a few seconds for Sam to recover from shock. "Sorry," he replied with a sheepish yet easy going smile. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise. I wish I could tell you I've heard all about you or something equally cliché," Naomi said with a small chuckle.

"Hey it's no problem. Not everyone here in Bon Temps is as accepting, Tara's just protecting herself," Sam rambled quickly and pulled a memo pad from his back pocket. He tapped it a couple of times to release the small pen clipped on the spirals. "Why don't you guys go ahead and sit back down and choose what you want to eat. It'll be on the house."

"Aw hell, Sam you don't have to do that," Tara said, sitting in her previously abandoned seat.

"It's no problem." Sam shrugged his shoulders. "I want to as a sorry for the crazy mess that just happened."

"Well, we want two coronas and I'm just gonna have the double cheeseburger with extra pickles." Tara rattled off with practiced ease and looked at Naomi. "What do you want baby?"

"I'll have a bowl of gumbo with rice on the side and as many packets of crackers as you can spare," Naomi answered after a quick glance through her menu.

"Alright I'll put a rush on it," Sam said before he disappeared into the kitchen.

**-x-**

"It was really nice of you to tip Sam," Tara said the first thing that popped into her head after they left Merlotte's. She was growing tired of just hearing the sounds of crickets chirping and the crunch of gravel under her boots.

"I felt like it was the least I could have done since he was nice enough to give us free food and shoot the breeze with us despite several irate customers," Naomi said. She invaded Tara's personal space and rested her head on the shorter woman's shoulders. They strolled at a leisurely pace only stopping once they arrived at Naomi's truck.

"Well, today was pretty interesting," Naomi said without preamble.

"Yeah, that was one of the few slow days in my life," Tara said

Naomi chuckled in response then frowned as Tara placed a cigarette between her lips.

"Before you start lecturing, smoking was more of a Toni thing," Tara said, lighting the cigarette quickly. She took a drag and exhaled the smoke slowly as she leaned back against the grill of the truck. "This'll be my last one. Kinda like saying goodbye to her."

"I think I might like Tara better," Naomi said, stealing the cigarette from Tara's fingers. She took a small pull of it and handed it back to her girlfriend.

"Why's that?" Tara asked, idly flicking away some ash.

"Well," Naomi elongated the word coyly. "We've only just met but it seems like she's been through a helluva lot but she's doing the best she can with what she's got. She's also beautiful. And smart. And also great in bed."

"Oh yeah?" Tara perked at the last compliment with intrigue.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to getting to know her better," Naomi husked as she leaned in kissing Tara soundly. When Tara ended the kiss abruptly and glanced away, Naomi searched her face and said, "You are coming home right?"

"I want to," Tara said softly. "You have no idea how much I want to but I have so much unfinished business here."

"It was unfinished when you left it a year and a half ago too," Naomi scoffed, she threw her arms up and spun in a circle, gesturing to the area around them. "You hate this place. You said there was nothing left for you here."

"That's just because she's been looking for love in all the wrong places." A voice intoned form the darkness between streetlights as a lithe figure pranced into view.

Tara couldn't stop her eyes from devouring Pam's form when she came into the light. The blonde vampire had on a spaghetti strap lavender dress sundress with an empire waist that looked too short to be legal. The matching wedged heeled sandals that laced up toned calves added an extra four inches to her already tall form. The older woman's hair was styled in a loose, curly ponytail that was pulled carefully over her right shoulder.

Pam's eyes immediately narrowed at the closeness between Tara and Naomi. "Who's this?" she growled out lowly.

Tara ignored the vampire's question and stepped in front of Naomi protectively. "Get out, now," She whispered frantically to Naomi.

"But." Naomi tried to protest.

Tara interrupted her. She didn't know what Pam was capable of without her memory but she sure as hell wasn't going to let Naomi be the one to find out. "Leave. This isn't your fight."

"Who is she?" Naomi echoed Pam's inquiry.

"I'm Pam and you're obviously the woman holding Tara back from being with me," Pam answered with her nostrils flaring.

"What the fuck is she talking about?" Naomi asked with narrowed eyes. "You told me Pam was one of the vampires that lost her memory."

"She did," Tara said urgently. "But right now she's on some other shit and you need to go!"

"You didn't mention she wanted to fuck you," Naomi said through clenched teeth as she pushed Tara.

"I didn't mention it because it's not important. I'm not interested so, it doesn't matter," Tara said, holding Naomi back.

"I want to more than fuck her," Pam proclaimed as she vamp sped forward. She towered over the younger women as she looked down her nose at Naomi. "I want to be the one true love in her life."

Naomi stormed around Tara and marched right into Pam's face. "Listen you decrepit bitch! Toni is mine and if you even pop a fang in her direction, I'll cave in your over botoxed face."

In an instant, Pam's hand was around Naomi's throat. She picked up the woman as if she weighed nothing. Pam's fangs dropped down with a snap as she growled menacingly. "You don't deserve her."

"God fucking damn it Pam. Put her down!" Tara commanded, running forward. She tried in vain to pry the vampire's hand away from her girlfriend's throat.

"No, if she's gone they'll be nothing stopping us from being together." Pam tensed her hand, reveling in Naomi's gurgled attempts at breathing.

"If you kill her. I will never forgive you and I'll make it my mission to stake you until my dying breath," Tara bit out. She watched as the fight drained out of Pam.

Pam dropped Naomi to the ground instantly. "Give me a chance," she pleaded quietly. "We could be so good together."

"You're a monster and that's all you'll ever be," Tara said shaking in anger and unabashed revulsion. "I don't want to look at you right now. Go back home until midnight and come back to the cemetery for the spell," she continued as she bent to massage Naomi's sore throat.

"I'm sorry." Pam bowed her head in shame and blurred out of sight.

Tara watched for Pam's form long after she disappeared into the night. "Fuck her," She cursed under her breath.

"She's gone let's get the fuck out of here," Naomi croaked and swallowed thickly around the uncomfortable lump in her throat.

"I can't," Tara stated dully, her eyes found the dirt on the ground suddenly very interesting.

Naomi scurried to her feet. "If we leave now we can make it New Orleans just before sunrise," she rasped out and cleared her throat.

"I can't go with you," Tara replied distantly.

Naomi heaved an annoyed sigh. "Toni, don't be like that."

Tara's eyes finally snapped up as her frame grew stiff. "Tara. My name is Tara Thornton."

"I changed my mind. I don't like Tara and from everything you've just shown me, you don't like her either," Naomi said with a shake of her head. "So let's just go." She grabbed Tara's shirt and started pulling her towards her truck.

"No." Tara slapped Naomi's hand away.

"Come on. It'll be fine you'll see." Naomi caught Tara's wrist and tugged more forcefully.

"No!" Tara rotated her arm out of Naomi's hold. "I can't leave. I can't go with you back to New Orleans and pretend my past doesn't exist and that one day you won't end up dead because of me."

"What are you talking about?" Naomi questioned in confusion.

"I'm talking about my curse." Tara dropped her head, dejectedly. "Everybody that I've ever been with has wound up dead. It's not a long list but it's a bad one to be on."

"No." Naomi breathed, tearing up. "I'm not going to let you push me away. You don't know that it'll be like that with me." She reached out, cradling Tara's face in both hands and forced the other woman to look her in the eyes.

Tara held Naomi's right hand in her left, softly caressing tan skin with her thumb. "I can't and won't take the chance of your blood ending up on my hands."

"Does my love, this last six months, mean anything to you?" Naomi pleaded brokenly.

"It's not enough," Tara said with a sniffle. She closed her eyes briefly, willing the tears not to fall. "Go back to your truck and just fucking drive. Don't look back. Don't call me. Don't write me. Just live your life and forget about me." She stepped back and hastily shoved Naomi away.

Naomi stumbled back with a glower. It was marred by the tears dotting her cheeks. "You're going to regret this."

Tara turned and walked away from Merlotte's unconsciously taking the same path that Pam made. "Trust me, I already do." A rock landed a couple of inches away from her feet narrowly missing her.

"You're a coward, Tara Thornton!" Naomi shouted, tossing another pebble. "You're a user and a fucking coward and I never want to see you again!"

Tara never paused in her stride as her ex-girlfriend's words assaulted her ears. She knew intellectually she was doing the right thing in letting Naomi go but it still hurt like a bitch. No matter her current pain, she knew that it would be infinitely more agonizing if Naomi was killed during the crossfire of her current situation. Naomi deserved every chance to live a long and happy life where it was with her or with someone else and if that made her a coward, she would happily take that charge.

**-x-**

Times Square was its normal loud and boastful prime example of New York's famous hustle and bustle. Jeff gazed up at the tall buildings in all their glory. He stood across the street to the one of the most famous McDonald's in the world while just a little down from that, he watched as the stock market values scrolled across the bottom of the Nasdaq screen.

Jeff had heard that being in the middle of Times Square and all its energy was an impressive experience but he had never imagined in all his sixteen years that it would feel quite like this. Every digital billboard was so brilliant and vivid that it was like the sun had decided to shine upon this miniature pocket of an urban jungle.

"Hey, loser!" A voice called out behind him and quickly followed by a sharp slap at the base of Jeff's skull.

"Shit, Freddie! Why'd you do that?" Jeff asked, rubbing the back of his head that was aching from the blow. He glared at his friend and shoved him roughly.

"Look who's got his big boy boxers on," Freddie said with a snicker. "I'm truly proud of you being able to say 'shit' like an adult."

"Yeah, thanks I'm glad I have your approval." Jeff stated, looking over his shoulder for the chaperones that would most certainly have noticed that they have been gone too long. "Maybe we should head back to the theater."

"Look, Times Square is on our itinerary but not for another two days. The way I see it we're totally following the schedule. Besides seeing all the lights at night is much better than seeing some gay ass musical, right?"

"Right." Jeff acquiesced with a quick nod of his head.

"So, chill out, dude." Freddie all but yelled, punching his friend in the arm firmly.

"You chill out." Jeff responded quickly, subtly rubbing his right shoulder as Freddie looked away.

"Hey, check that out." Freddie pointed, watching as a mysterious being landed gracefully smack dead in the middle of the organized chaos. The bright light of the various billboards and big screens illuminated their bloodstained skin like an artificial sun. "Fuck me, bro. It's a vampire. I'm gonna go get a picture." He tossed out and quickly crossed the street.

"Cool," Jeff replied distractedly as he glanced at his phone chiming insistently from his pocket.

The majority of the humans that walked by ignored the being completely while a smaller, younger group paused to chatter animatedly and snap pictures.

The being hissed as the added flashing lights went off in their eyes. It grabbed the nearest tourist pulling Freddie up by the strap of his expensive camera. The ancient wrinkled its nose when the young human immediately wet himself in fear before ripping his jugular out before anyone could react.

It looked upon his flopping head with morbid curiosity before they tossed Freddie's body into traffic with a careless flick of their wrist. The frantic bursts of horns blared into the night air as several cars swerved to avoid the projectile.

The mounted police rode their horses hard, a thunderous cadence of hooves echoed across the pavement as they drew nearer the vicious being. The officers stopped, making a tight circle around the being and immediately drew their specially made weapons. "Get down on the ground, fanger! We have you surrounded."

"לא עדיי׀ ארם בני השחב׀," The figured sighed out and raised their hands. "דברים שלך ירדה יהי׀ שלך ׀המ׀׀ת מהירים."

The police held onto the reigns tight as they struggled to get a handle on their horses that were bucking and whinnying at the perilous predicament their masters had forced them into. "Get on the ground, now! You have until the count of three, fanger," The commanding officer warned. "One-" the officer started and paused as each and every light in Times Square went dark followed by the lights for the next seven blocks in every direction.

An inhuman screech was released to the air and the screams soon followed.

**-End of Chapter Two-**

* * *

**Another fairly long chapter today! ;-)**

**I have rewritten this chapter literally seven times and each time it got larger and larger. So big, in fact that I was considering posting it in parts but everywhere I tried to cut it seemed to hurt the flow of the story. As you can see, I have posted it as is and I hope it wasn't too annoying to read. Please let me know if it is and I'll try and keep the chapters much more succinct. **

**I want to thank each and every person that's glanced at, followed, favorited and reviewed this story and sent PMs about your predictions on the plot. I really didn't expect this much of a reaction and it's truly appreciated. If you haven't gotten a response concerning your review/PM, it's coming soon. I like to reply once I've gotten a brand new chapter up. I'll try and get the next chapter up as quick as I can. **

**Big thanks also goes out to the anonymous readers lurking around. Your opinions count too! **

**Uh oh! Someone or something is making its way slowly but surely to Bon Temps. **

**What did you think about my decision to make amnesia!Pam? How do you think she'll handle not being who she once was? Any gripes or complaints with this chapter? Lemme know in a PM or review! I'd love to hear all of your thoughts!**

**Translations for this chapter:**

**Vida a la vida y la mente de la mente, me uno a tu espíritu ahora a lo mía, yo guardo mi alma y mi viaje a, aquel cuyo pensamiento, me gustaría saber: Life to life and mind to mind, I join your spirit now to mine, I guard my soul and journey to, the one whose thoughts, I wish I knew. **

**Avkastning till mig: Yield to me. **

**Jag kommer inte låta dig skada henne: I won't let you hurt her. **

**Du förstår mig?: You understand me?**

**Ja, Vem är du?: Yes, who are you?**

**Feed: **להאכיל

לא עדיי׀ ארם בני השחב׀**:Humans still haven't changed. **

דברים שלך ירדה יהי׀ שלך ׀המ׀׀ת מהירים**:Drop your…things and your death will be swift. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**~MC**


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